I Forgive You
by Milarius
Summary: One day, Izaya finds that the monster of Ikebukuro isn't acting like himself, and is even more surprised that he won't fight him…for once. Seeing Shizuo like this makes Izaya realize that he may have been wrong about his hatred, leading to another question that may change their lives forever.
1. Chapter 1

"Sh-...Shizu-chan?"

The dark-haired informant stood several feet away from the strongest man in Ikebukuro. He had been ready to begin the typical regime of teasing and playing chase with his favorite monster. He had arrived in the alleyway, expecting to find Shizuo holding a street sign or machine of some sort, ready to be thrown. Except this time, Shizuo was sitting against the wall, his head hanging low.

"What do you want flea?" He growled without looking up as Izaya walked closer.

"What is this? Shizu-chan has nothing to throw at me today?" The informant wondered aloud as he stopped and leaned over the blonde.

Clearly irritated, Shizuo lifted his head to face Izaya, his stare angry and unavoidable. "The hell you want flea?"

Izaya smirked. Shizuo broke his glare and went back to looking at the ground. Of course the parasite wouldn't answer a simple question...even asked twice.

"Just get out of here. Stay out of Ikebukuro. You're the last person I want to see here." The blonde put his hand through his hair and sighed heavily. He was exhausted from the night before, having gotten little sleep and nightmares. Even the flea bothered him in his dreams.

Something was obviously wrong, and Izaya thought that Shizuo's currently odd behavior wasn't his fault.

"Shizu-chan, I can't have you sitting around acting like a defenseless human being displaying such..._emotions_. Ne...I thought you were stronger than that!" Izaya yelled but hadn't meant to. He didn't want this. He wanted Shizuo to act the way he always did, and a sad Shizuo was a boring Shizuo, making him useless as a rival.

Izaya didn't know what to do. Really the only reason he 'hated' Shizuo was because he was the _only one_ he couldn't predict the actions of. It was more of a frustration rather than hatred, but Izaya didn't want to admit that.

This situation was by far a test of that theory, and it was something that Izaya never thought he would ever be dealing with.

Izaya stood at the side, right above the depressed blonde, observing him closely. Surprisingly, Shizuo seemed to make no protests to the closeness. Receiving no apparent reaction from the bodyguard, Izaya sat right down next to him and stared, resuming his observations. A loud sigh resounded.

"I still have feelings. And I have every right to display them. Sorry to disappoint, but _I am_ a human being whether you like it or not. I just happen to be abnormal." Realizing how familiar he was being with Izaya, Shizuo immediately turned his head, snapping at the informant. "Anyways, what are you still doing here? Scram flea."

Izaya didn't move. He kept his eyes locked on Shizuo.

What Shizuo had said awoke something inside of the brunette. It wasn't a surprise what the bodyguard had pointed out that he was human. It was true, after all. But he was a human being with super strength, therefore making him different than a normal human. **A monster.**

It was something simple that had been said, but it was also a large realization to reality for Izaya. He knew that Shizuo was a human being. He just didn't want to accept it as a fact. _...Shizu-chan is a monster. He can't be a human. No. I love all humans. I hate him. Therefore, I can't accept him as a human, otherwise..._

"I just want you to disappear. I'm not in the mood." The annoyed blonde grunted and stood up, his fists clenched, and began to walk away. Izaya followed close behind, still curious as to why his favorite monster was acting this way.

After they had been walking for about an hour, Shizuo finally seemed to decide to take notice of his companion. They had reached a deserted parking lot as Shizuo stopped walking. He turned around to face the informant in a seemingly calm manner, adjusting his sunglasses before opening his eyes and narrowing them.

"Why the hell are you st-..." Shizuo stopped mid-sentence when he saw Izaya's face.

The informant was deep in thought, fighting a mental battle with himself as he tried to decide if he should consider Shizuo Heiwajima, the monster of Ikebukuro, as a human. Yet as he struggled with that, another question came to his mind.

On the outside, Shizuo saw a side of the informant that he had never seen before. His head was lowered and he was staring at the ground near Shizuo's shoes, his eyes appearing blank. Was the flea actually..._upset?_

The bodyguard let out a large sigh as he put his hands into his pockets. "Flea..."

An answer finally came. "I'm trying to figure out..." More silence.

The bodyguard let out a low growl. "Figure out _what_?"

The informant finally responded, softly but loud enough to be heard. "Why do I...hate you?"

Shizuo's eyes widened. Izaya looked up, his eyes suddenly full of many emotions.

"Why, Shizu-chan? You're the one person I can never figure out. But that's what makes it fun," Izaya stepped closer and shook his head. "I always say that I hate you but I don't really know why. I don't even know if I actually hate you. Or is it the fact that you are not like my beloved humans at all?"

"Tch." Shizuo smirked and adjusted his sunglasses again. "I'm the only one you can't manipulate. Of course that would eat at your dignity."

Izaya shrugged. "Yes but," He still had a disappointed look upon his face as he stood a few feet from Shizuo. "I know that I don't feel hatred. I've been giving it the wrong name for years now..." He lost himself in his thoughts again. Shizuo frowned and stared at the brunette, still a bit confused as to why this generally proud man in front of him was suddenly having a mood swing.

Shizuo could care less if Izaya hated him or not. He hated Izaya, after all, and that wasn't about to change.

"Maybe I didn't know what else to feel, because I know that you hate me..." Izaya slowly lifted his head to catch Shizuo's confused gaze. "So, I don't hate you..." Suddenly, another thought came into his mind. "Which brings another question...Shizu-chan,"

The bodyguard put his fingers through his hair and kept his eyes on Izaya. This was the strangest thing. Izaya was acting so different. Almost like he was _nervous_. "What? Tell me."

Izaya seemed to find it quite difficult to actually speak what was on his mind. It was a question...and this question, if answered, could possibly solve everything that was bothering him.

"Shizu-chan..." There was a hint of sorrow in the small man's voice. "Why do **you**...hate _**me**_?"

Shizuo opened his mouth to speak then stopped, just taking in the actual question, pondering upon what he was just asked.

_I hate him! I hate that louse! He's a bastard, I want to kill him so much! He makes me angry, and I always want to punch that annoying smile off of his face! Every time I see him I just want to hit him over and over again with the nearest heavy object! _

Those were the things that Shizuo thought about saying. They were all of the things he wanted to say._I hate you! I hate you so much! _Shizuo was about to yell his hatred until his eyes widened with realization. _But...why? Why do I hate him?_

_"_...Why do I..." The blonde stood there for what seemed like minutes, trying to figure out how to respond. Sure, Izaya had framed him for a murder he didn't commit. He interrupted his daily life with his loud and annoying mouth, and pretty much anything that went wrong in Ikebukuro could be traced back to the informant. But those were just things that made him hate Izaya even more. Yet when it came down to it, there had to be a start to his hatred. And Shizuo didn't even know if he had an absolute answer.

"Shizu-chan..." Izaya waited patiently for a response, but decided to help the bodyguard's thinking process. "In high school, that first day you met me-...ne. The first time you _laid eyes_ on me...I knew you hated me. But for what reason?" Izaya kept his tone of voice soft and serious, unlike anything Shizuo had even known could be done by the brunette.

"I…I don't know why I hate you…"


	2. Chapter 2

_"I...I don't know why I hate you."_

Shizuo whispered, barely audible, then turned himself away, now trying hard to remember back to that day. He had seen the teenage boy in his short jacket and red shirt sitting with Shinra, an annoying smile on his face. Shinra was going to introduce them to each other. But that smile...something about it irritated Shizuo so much, and to top it off, Izaya was acting all high and mighty by his posture. With Shizuo's already aggressive nature, it didn't help when he saw such a person before him. He couldn't help but throw a punch at that boy, only to miss, thus, starting their continuous cycle of cat and mouse.

He turned himself around to face the smaller man, his angry expression having softened to something else...something almost...unexplainable. He looked like he was off in a distant world. His eyes were clouded with confusion, yet something more. Although it wouldn't be obvious to just anyone other than Izaya, there was maybe, just maybe, hints of _regret_ in the blonde's eyes. The informant started to walk closer, looking up at the bodyguard with concern and curiosity.

The smaller male gently put a hand on the others arm, searching his face for any sign of emerging rage. There was none.

_**High School**_

"Hey Shizuo, did you bring your lunch today?" A spike-haired brunette with glasses smiled smugly at his friend as he removed his lunch box from his bag.

"Nah. I was going to get something in the cafeteria." Shizuo shrugged, then he watched Shinra blushing while opening his lunch. "Did Celty make that for you?"

"Why, y-yes she did! She makes the most amazing meals." He held the box close to his chest with a dazed smile, only to set the box down and clear his throat, returning to a nervous grin towards the blonde. "Well um, you should go get your lunch now so we can have enough time to eat." He then proceeded to stare at his lunch.

"Snap out of it, Shinra." The brunette didn't look up. "Oi, Shinra!" He bolted his head upright, looking questionably at the blonde. "There you go. I don't need you to be in a daze." Shizuo smirked and then walked out of the classroom, Shinra defying his orders anyway and going back to his daydreams.

Walking down the hallway, another pair of eyes was watching as Shizuo left in the opposite direction. After Shizuo was out of sight, the crimson eyes of the young male blinked as he grinned widely and skipped into the classroom.

"Hello Shinra!" He sat on the desk in front of the surprised boy and put his hand up in greeting.

"O-oh, hey Izaya." Shinra put his lunch in his desk for later and forced a normal smile to hide his previous flustered face. "Where is your lunch? Aren't you going to eat?"

"Yeah later I will." He shrugged. "So Shinra…who was that who walked out of the room a few minutes ago?"

Shinra widened his eyes in a realization. Shizuo and Izaya seemed like they would make good friends! Shizuo didn't really have many friends aside from himself and Kadota, and Izaya seemed like he would get along with the young blonde. Shizuo was stern and Izaya was a bit…well, not exactly on the sane side (according to Shinra). But they would make good friends because Shizuo would, perhaps, keep Izaya under control, and Izaya would be someone else in Shizuo's life that wouldn't be afraid of his super strength, based on the fact that nothing really scared Izaya.

All in all, _they would balance each other out._

Izaya waved a hand in front of the other boy, who was deep in thought. "Shinraaaaa? Helloooo?" The future doctor flinched, and then straightened his glasses.  
>"R-right." He stood up to stretch. "That was Shizuo Heiwajima. He's a good friend of mine." Shinra folded his arms and nodded. "You wanna meet him?"<p>

A surprisingly sly grin spread across the other's face as he stared at Shinra. "Sure. Why not? He seems like an interesting person…" He looked past Shinra out the window. Shizuo was down there, speaking with some people. The brunette's face lit up. "Let's go now Shinra!" Izaya grabbed the other's arm and pulled him out of the classroom, and down the stairs.

_Anxious are we?_ Shinra beamed as he was dragged down the staircase and out the doorway.

Little did they know that Shizuo was about to get himself into a situation he would later regret...

* * *

><p>It had happened.<p>

It was to be expected from a **monster** like him, but it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Shizuo took one final pulse to the ground with the end of the street sign, and those around him fell to the ground, unconscious.

His breathing becoming steady again, he flinched at the sudden intrusion of his dying anger.

_Clapping._

Who would applaud what he had just done?

Turning his head slowly to look behind himself, he saw him.  
>That annoying grin.<br>The extremely ridiculous feeling Shizuo got when he looked at him.  
>That disgusting look of enjoyment plastered upon his face.<p>

To narrow it down into simple words_..._He_ pissed him off_.

Shinra was slightly shocked by what had happened, but he couldn't say that he wasn't surprised, knowing Shizuo. He wasn't too sure when it would be best to say anything, but with Izaya's actions and Shizuo _appearing _to have calmed himself down, he decided that it was now or never.

"This is Izaya Orihara..." He began with sudden confidence and continued to ramble on about how Izaya was not always that nice of a guy, and it was _maybe_ something that he should have kept to himself. But Izaya took it as a sort of joke and shook it off, responding with ease to redeem himself and somehow managed to keep his cool.

"You piss me off." The words were said clearly as the blonde turned his head away, obviously wanting to be left alone.

The smile on Izaya's face grew even wider, as nodded to himself and decided to challenge just how far he could go with the other teen...

Within the next few hours, Shizuo was chasing Izaya down the streets of Ikebukuro.

"IIIIIIZAAAAAAYAAAAAA-KUUUUUUUUN!"


	3. Chapter 3

Shinra looked down nervously at his desk as Shizuo glared at him from above.

"So just what exactly possessed you to introduce a louse like that to me, Shinra? He makes me angry!" The blonde clenched his teeth and slammed his hand on the desk, but with controlled force as to not break it.

Shinra's hands were shaking as he gathered himself and straightened his glasses. "H-He wanted to m-meet you!" He stuttered. "I-I just thought that y-you two would m-make good friends!" Shizuo's heated glare did not cease.

"That was kind of dumb, Shinra." The other boy said in a low voice. "After all, he pisses me off!" He turned away and sighed angrily.

Shinra shook his head sadly and finally stopped shaking. "Look, if I had known you'd have this sort of reaction towards him, I wouldn't have introduced him to you in the first place. I'm sorry, Shizuo."

Shizuo didn't turn to face the brunette, who watched him nervously. "I don't even know why but, just looking at him...there's just _something_about him...and he makes me angry." His voice had seemed to calm down.

Shinra smiled smugly. "Well, I wouldn't know why that is. But he's not _that_bad of a guy. Maybe you could try aga-"

"Like hell."

"But Shizuo I-"

"I said no."

A soft groan was heard as Shizuo turned around to face the disappointed teen, who had slumped his arms over the edge of his desk.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I can't stand him. I mean, he slashed my chest yesterday and left a scar! That's not exactly something that I find friendly."

Shinra didn't raise his head as he spoke. "But weren't you the one who threw a punch at him first?"

Shizuo rolled his eyes. "That's besides the point. He pissed me off! I had to wipe that annoying grin off his face!"

They were both silent. Shinra knew that Shizuo really wasn't making any sense of the situation. Yes, Izaya had a tendency to make others feel inferior to himself, and he did always have that _smirk_. But the fact that it made Shizuo attack him without warning... It was really very bothersome.

Shinra decided to leave the room and get some fresh air. He didn't want to be in the same room as the blonde while he vented his anger. He stood up.

"I'm going to go outside for a bit. See ya Shizuo." Shinra left the classroom and shut the door behind himself.

Shizuo let out a low growl.

"Idiot."

He was now left alone, sitting in his frustration.

Or so he thought.

"Seems to me that someone is upset about something..." The blonde turned at the sound of the voice, his eyes widening and his mouth forming an angry smile.

"It would appear that I was right!" The brunette jumped down from the window entrance. "Ne, Shizu-chan?"

Shizuo immediately felt his anger come rushing back as he stood up, fists out. That new nickname annoyed him to no end, and Izaya wouldn't stop using it.  
>Izaya put his hand into his pocket and pulled out his knife.<p>

The brunette dodged a punch as Shizuo went for him again and again, only hitting air.  
>The next thing Shizuo knew, he had another cut, aside from what Izaya had given him on his chest the day before. This time, on his arm.<p>

Izaya licked the edge of his switchblade and smirked as he tasted Shizuo's blood. "Hmm...so you want to play again, eh?" He flicked the blade and pointed it towards the other, who was breathing heavily.

"Get the hell away from me, you louse." Shizuo spoke through clenched teeth as his chest heaved. He only received a small laugh as a reply.

"But Shizu-chan is so..._fun_." Izaya smirked and twirled his blade in his hand, not taking his cool gaze off of the enraged teen in front of him.

That was all that Shizuo would take.

Izaya bolted out the door of the classroom, followed closely by chairs and desks being thrown his way, with a ridiculous smile. He evaded them with perfect precision, skipping and dodging one object after another in the halls. Good thing no one was around these hallways after school hours.

Not soon after, they had somehow made it to the heart of the city.

Shizuo stood in the center of the streets, a bent yield sign in his hands, his body trembling as he caught his breath. Izaya was opposite him, knife in his hand, exhaustion never seeming to be apparent on his part. That smirk seemed to have faded long ago, but his expression showed something more like boldness as he pointed his knife.

People watched with awe and caution at then unraveling event. They kept to the sides of the street to avoid the potential danger.

They knew about Shizuo Heiwajima. But lately, he had been showing even more of his destructive side, causing much more damage than he used to. The culprit was none other than a teenage boy with a knife, and dangerously sly intelligence.

Izaya wouldn't admit it, but he was feeling a bit tired. He decided to make a run for it.

"Heh." He smirked. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow Shizu-chan! Thanks for a fun time!"

With that, he bolted off in the opposite direction.

A low growl made it's way through Shizuo's chest.

"Ehhh?" He threw the sign down and took off after his rival.

"IZAAAYAAAA-KUUUUUN!"

He chased after him until he lost sight of the brunette. He looked down at the ground.

"...You got lucky this time."

He let out a frustrated sigh.

"I hate that bastard so much...that louse...that _flea_."

Shizuo turned around and walked out of the alleyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch. 4**

The days went on the same way. Izaya and Shizuo would have their fights, constantly.  
>Even gangs started to go after him for no known reason, but it was later obvious that Izaya was behind it.<p>

Because of everything that had happened, Shizuo never trusted him, and knew that he never would.

Friendship with that boy was out of the question.

But Shinra just kept pushing it.

"Shizuo, you really should try to get along with him. I know...you'll tell me to shut up, but you can't keep having these fights. They aren't good. For anyone."

"Shinra, he's a little bastard who won't leave me alone."

"He just wants to be friends with you."

"Yeah, sure. He cuts me with his knife almost _every time _we meet. He keeps using that...that _nickname_. He annoys the hell out of me. Stop trying to make something impossible happen, Shinra. I don't want his friendship, and I sure as hell don't think he wants mine. Not by the way he treats me. I'm almost like a...plaything...to him. It's sickening."

Shinra let out a long sigh. "I know that you two have never gotten along. Yet, you've never sat down and actually spoken to each other." Shinra chose his words carefully. "You threw a punch, and he cut you. That's pretty much all of the interaction you two have ever had."

"Well, until a day comes when he's able to not make me feel annoyed, I don't think I'll ever stop fighting him." Shizuo stood up from his desk. "And as soon as I walk outside, I'm sure that there will be some people waiting for me...more of those gang members." He growled and got his bag to leave.

Shinra looked after him and frowned. "Gang members?" He shook his head and spoke to himself. "Oh Izaya...what have you done now?"

Unknown to them, Izaya had heard the whole conversation in his hiding place in a nearby cabinet.  
><em>Stupid protozoan.<em> He thought. _We could have had some real fun together. But you had to go and attack me when I tried to be civil._  
>He was relieved that he was hidden, so that the disappointment in his face wouldn't show. But his frown quickly turned into a wide smirk.<br>_But it wouldn't be fun if things weren't this way, would it? _He took out his knife and examined it._ If that's how you'll be about it, I'll make things much more...interesting. _

After he was certain that the classroom was empty, he slipped out of the cabinet and got his bag, checking his cell phone in the process. More information was sent to him, and he loved information. Perhaps he would make that into a career one day

_I'll continue to be in your life every day, Shizu-chan. Whether you like it or not, I will be there._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Present Day<strong>_

_The smaller male gently put a hand on the others arm, searching his face for any sign of emerging rage. There was none._

"Shizu-chan...I-" Izaya was cut off when he saw Shizuo's eyes flicker, signaling that he was back to reality from his thoughts. Izaya was half-expecting Shizuo to grab him by the throat and throw him away for even daring to lay a finger on him. Yet the brunette didn't move at all, keeping his hand firmly, yet gently, on the larger arm.

"What is it fl-...Izaya?" Shizuo looked down with a questionable yet surprisingly gentle stare. Maybe this constant routine had gone on long enough. Both of them knew that they didn't have it in them to really kill one another. There were so many opportunities, yet they would let them slip by through their fingertips.

Izaya shuffled his feet and looked at the ground, slowly bringing his eyes up to meet the blonde's. There was complete honestly and sincerity in what was said next.

"I'm sorry. For everything that I ever did to you."

Shizuo's eyes widened. This man, who had tormented his waking life for so many years, and more recently, his sleeping life, was now **apologizing**.

It made him think back to last night, when he had that dream...

* * *

><p><em>Shizuo was running. He kept running, never needing to catch his breath. He felt even more invincible than ever before. But where was he running to?<em>

_A hand suddenly grasped his, and he turned around to see his rival. _

_"Hello, Shizu-chan." Izaya smiled. But not his normal evil, mischievous smile. No. This smile was much different. It was full of...kindness, and something else. But there was nothing bad about it. _  
><em>Shizuo felt almost...happy, and at peace. It was strange, but he didn't think so. The feelings overtook him.<em>

_"Izaya." Shizuo felt absolutely no hatred at this very moment._

_The brunette moved closer and wrapped his arms around Shizuo's waist, into a hug. Shizuo made no attempt to break the embrace. It felt...wonderful._

_"I wish we wouldn't fight anymore..." _

_"...Really?"_

_"Yes. I don't really want to kill you, Shizu-chan."_

_Shizuo nodded slowly. "Yeah. Me neither."_

That was when Shizuo awoke. He felt immediate confusion as to what he had just dreamed.

"What the hell..." He sat up. "Why the hell did I dream that?" He put his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. He could practically still feel Izaya's arms around him, even though it had only been a dream. And the strangest part was...Shizuo didn't feel disgusted by it. In fact, he almost _craved_ the brunette's embrace.

"Yeah well, I still want him to leave me alone..." He sighed and fell back unto his pillow, but he was secretly hoping to continue the dream. At least in dreams, they could get along. And Shizuo was fine with that.

* * *

><p>Shizuo shook his head to come back from his thoughts.<p>

"I...I don't know for certain why I did the things I did. I guess I didn't know what else to do. I knew you hated me...so I did things to feed that hatred. You intrigued me more than others ever have." Izaya lowered his head and softened his tone of voice. "Yet today, seeing you other than...well, how you normally are…it made me realize that there's more to you than your anger." The informant slowly raised his head, looking the bodyguard in the eye. "It's a stupid reason, I know. But for that...everything...I'm sorry."

Izaya waited for a response, but never got one. It was to be expected after all, with everything he had done in the past. Izaya took in a sharp breath, nodded once, and turned his feet, walking away.

A strong grasp around his arm stopped him.

"Izaya."


	5. Chapter 5

_"Izaya."_

Shizuo tightened his grip on Izaya's arm.

He couldn't take it anymore. This situation was all too familiar, just like in his dream.

Maybe he was still asleep, but he didn't care either way. He wanted to experience what he had in his dreams. He wanted to make it real.

Izaya wanted to make amends.  
>Shizuo decided that he wanted this as well.<p>

_We've been fighting for too long...with no good reason..._

The brunette slowly turned around to see the blonde, then gasped as he felt the sudden impact...the warmth. Shizuo...Shizuo Heiwajima, was hugging him.

_This is the only way for a peaceful life...for both of us..._

Shizuo put a hand to the back of Izaya's head and sighed. He couldn't help a small smile appearing on his face.

"Well then, I suppose that I should...apologize too...for my actions in response to what you did...like throwing things at you constantly." He wasn't too good with forming his sentence, but he got his point across.

The informant was still partially recovering from the shock of being embraced. When he had finally relaxed, he spoke. "You-...I-...You're serious?" He shook his head in disbelief, proceeding to look to the side. "Well...don't. I suppose that I...deserved them," He said against the bodyguard's chest.

Shizuo chuckled.

"At those times, yes." He paused. "But, well...you don't have to worry about that anymore."

Izaya looked up from the bodyguard's chest with widened crimson eyes. "What do you mean, Shizu-chan?" He tilted his head.

"Because." Shizuo smiled down at Izaya. "I forgive you."

Izaya was speechless. He remained there, just looking up at the man that had sworn to hate him forever. "You...you _forgive _me?" He could hardly believe it.

His reaction wasn't much of a surprise, based on their history together.

Shizuo nodded, acting a bit irritated, although he didn't really feel that way. He rolled his eyes. "Yes, flea. You heard it right. I do forgive you."

The brunette didn't break his stare until moments later, when he looked straightforward, facing Shizuo's bow tie blankly.

"Shizu-chan you...forgive all of those things... I can't believe it..."

Shizuo looked to the side for a bit. "Well, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'm still slightly... upset about some of those things. But I still forgive what you did. If you're really sorry, I mean."

The brunette nodded quickly. "I am! I am sorry. I'm just so...confused. Am I...dreaming? Shizu-chan wouldn't hug me in real life." Shizuo stared at the informant with a playful smirk.

"You'd be surprised what dreams can do, Izaya."

"Yeah, I know..." Izaya stated with understanding.

After all, Shizuo wasn't the only one dreaming about them lately...

**One Week Ago**

It had been a typical day of work for the informant.

At one thirty in the afternoon, a woman came by to inquire about her husband, who she knew had been cheating on her. He was a wealthy businessman and she wanted to know who he was messing around with.  
>She was one to complain.<br>She didn't even really love her husband.  
>However, she remained faithful, even though he didn't.<p>

_Humans can be so cruel._

A man came by at three to ask about, what he suspected, some private sales going on behind his back in his company. They were losing profits, and a few of his employees had been acting odd. Izaya found the culprits almost immediately.

_Humans can be so greedy._

The final case for the day was somewhat bothersome.

There was a person interested in having someone "taken care of", but they wouldn't say who.

Izaya, of course, answered professionally.

"I'll have you know that I don't usually work with cases like this. But I could find the best person to do the job, if I knew more about your target?" He waited as the man took out a folder and placed it in front of the brunette.

"His information, what we have on him anyway, is in there. We want him out of the way." The man paused, recalling the informant's mention of not working with such cases. "We simply want him to disappear. Dead or alive, we don't care."  
>Izaya nodded as he carefully slid the folder closer and opened it. He widened his eyes when he saw the name.<p>

**_Hanejima Yuhei_**

_Shizu-chan's younger brother... _Izaya shook his head silently as he shut the file. _These people are so unprepared that they don't even know his real identity. As much as I dislike Shizu-chan, I couldn't bring myself to cause harm to his family..._He stared at the closed folder for a moment. He looked from the man in front of him to the folder again._ But on the other hand... _A sly grin slowly spread across his face.

"I'll see what I can do."

* * *

><p>Later that night, Izaya put his papers away after sending his bossy assistant home.<p>

"That will be all, Namie. Thanks and see you next week!" He said with a sugary and cheerful voice. The person in response rolled her eyes and muttered, "When will you shut up? Freak." Before walking out the door.

"What a delightful woman you are, Namie." He laughed as she left, and sat back down in his chair, spinning around and slumping further.

After about half an hour had passed, Izaya sat up.

"Hmm...I'd go to see Shizu-chan but..."

He looked out the window.

"Well, It's not too late!" With that, he grabbed his fur-trimmed jacket and rushed out the door.

* * *

><p>It had been a rough day. There were several people who couldn't pay their debts. Or rather, <em>refused<em> to pay or come up with the money, even though they _probably_ did have it.  
>It was things like this that pissed off Shizuo.<p>

Aside from the flea, of course.  
>Nothing pissed off Shizuo more than that louse.<p>

He stood by a streetlight, smoking his cigarette calmly, his blue sunglasses still covering his honey-colored eyes.

He exhaled the smoke and sighed loudly, silently observing the streets as cars and people passed by.

A sudden familiar stench interrupted his thoughts. He sighed again and looked for the source.

"Izaaayaaaa-kuuuuuun..." He adjusted his sunglasses and stomped out his half-smoked cigarette as the informant slowly appeared out of the shadows of an alleyway.

"Hello there, Shizu-chan." He smirked towards the former bartender as he stopped not too far from him.

The nearest street sign, its label uncared for, was pulled from the ground and bent in the bodyguard's right hand as his eyes widened in anger. He ran towards his rival and swung the sign at him. To his bewilderment, he missed, his target now sitting crouched on the sign.

"Shizu-chan, you always, _always_ miss!" He smiled widely and jumped down before the sign could be thrown in the air.

Shizuo sighed in frustration and narrowed his eyes as he turned his attention back to the informant before him.

"Get the _hell_ out of Ikebukuro, flea!" He yelled as he tore a small trashcan from its place in the ground and held it over his head before flinging it towards his rival.

Of course, it only hit air.

"Like I said before..." The brunette stood tall after jumping down with flawless precision. "You can't even touch me!" He grinned widely and watched as Shizuo growled.

"Why don't you go stink up some other city? Why this one? Just LEAVE!" Another sign was thrown at Izaya, who dodged it again.

"Well, Shizu-chan. If you insist upon knowing, I _do _have a job which requires me to go to Ikebukuro quite often. But of course, you already should know that. You're protozoic mind just can't seem to process that fact. I must have told you at least more times than I can count." He shrugged.

That answer still didn't seem to satisfy the bodyguard.

"Yeah well then why don't you stop pestering _me_? You _always _show up out of nowhere and make my life a living hell!"

Izaya looked taken aback. "Because you're my favorite, Shizu-chan. My favorite monster. I can't help that I want to come and see you every time that I visit."

Shizuo frowned at this.

"Also, Shizu-chan, in my defense, you always seem to be somewhere nearby my work. The chances of me running into you are always likely. Besides, it would be rude of me to walk right past you and say nothing, now, wouldn't it?" He smiled smugly.

The bodyguard felt his eye twitch as he stared at the man in front of him.

"...You're full of crap. I would prefer if you stayed OUT OF HERE. PERIOD."

Izaya shook his head and tried to keep himself from smiling in amusement. This was unbelievable! He had already given the same explanation multiple times, and Shizuo was still ignoring it!

"Not listening to reason as always, Shizu-chan. It's quite bothersome, really. Do I have to repeat myself over and over again, or are you going to one day finally liste-"

He was interrupted as he felt himself being slammed against a wall after being hit by an unsuspected object. How did he not notice that?

The informant stood up, seemingly unharmed by the collision, and looked around. Shizuo stood, now a few feet closer to him, breathing heavily.

"And you're not shutting up, as always. Iz-a-ya." He smirked.

Izaya stood his ground and frowned, noticing that escaping would be a bit difficult at this point. He settled with the next best thing: Taking out his switchblade and pointing it towards his rival.

"Let me go now, Shizu-chan. I have things to do." He hid the nervousness in his voice.

"The hell I will, you louse. You're going to go plan something, aren't you?"

_Unbelievable._  
>Izaya was starting to think that it was entirely hopeless to reason with this man.<br>Sure, he _had_ planned a few things..._in the past_. But as of now he had nothing planned, nor did he have anything in mind for the future. Especially nothing involving Shizuo, or anyone in Ikebukuro, for that matter.  
>There had been the whole ordeal with Celty's head, which he still kept safe. But Shinra had asked him to keep it hidden for the sake of keeping his beloved with him, in fear that she would leave if she got her head back.<br>Izaya would speak to it occasionally, taking a different approach to awaken it than from the war he had attempted to create before.  
>It got lonely every once and awhile, so it was nice to have something...or someone...to talk to.<br>But truthfully, he didn't really care if she woke up anymore.  
>If it were to happen, however, then it would be a wondrous thing to see.<p>

A low voice took Izaya out of his thoughts. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear, flea. _I don't trust you._ I _never_ have, and _I never will__**.**_"

Izaya's eyes widened. "You..." He lowered his gaze. He felt a sudden tightness in his chest. "Fine then. Be that way. Believe the _same damn thing_ you always want to believe, Shizu-chan. Never mind that _one percent_ that you seem to _not be capable_ of believing in. And _as always_, I'll just do _this_,"

Izaya flicked his switchblade and threw another unseen blade from his pocket. It just barely grazed Shizuo's shoulder, cutting through the clothing and leaving a light cut. It began to bleed. The blonde responded by charging at his rival, ready to throw a punch. Izaya, of course, avoided it completely, taking his chance to finally escape in the process.

"Until next time, Shizu-chan." Izaya hid the pain in his voice. He was gone before Shizuo could even react, and when he finally did respond, a vending machine was thrown in anger.

* * *

><p>"Dammit Shizu-chan! Every single time! Why are you such a stupid, stupid stupid-...!..." Izaya paced back and forth near his desk, not able to think straight. He knew Shizuo wasn't the smartest person, but after all of this time, it was beginning to get to him.<p>

Shizuo didn't believe him.

He didn't trust him.

Why couldn't he spare it as a thought...as a _possibility_...just this once? After all, Izaya _really_ wasn't planning anything at all, and had just wanted to see the blonde. It was routine, after all.

He was used to not being trusted. It had always been that way. But now...

Perhaps the biggest worry to Izaya was...why now?

Why did it hurt him so much?

Later that night, within Izaya's sleep, something happened.

Something he never thought that he would ever dream crept into his mind.

* * *

><p><em>The memory replayed itself as if he were there again, as if time had turned back. <em>  
><em>There he and Shizuo stood, the blonde's appearance the same as Izaya knew, but the setting around them was a misty white. <em>

_"Let me make one thing perfectly clear, flea. I don't trust you. I never have, and I never will__**.**__" _

_But instead of continuing on with how things had really gone, Izaya asked the question that was on his mind. "Why...why Shizu-chan? I haven't done anything to you for a lon-"_

_"You've hurt me so many times, Izaya." The former bartender's voice was surprisingly calm as he said the painful words. "I just can't trust you." _

_"Shizu-chan," Izaya felt like asking so many things but the most important words that he wanted to say came out. "I don't want to fight with you anymore. I don't really want you dead..." _

_Shizuo lowered his gaze and gave him an angry smile. "I guess I could say the same for you, flea. But I could be lying. How do I know that you aren't lying?"_

_More painful words. Izaya didn't know if he could take it. There was one more question that he was going to ask. "Shizu-chan...why do yo-..." Izaya gasped as he felt himself fade away, Shizuo disappearing in the whiteness._

* * *

><p>Then Izaya woke up, the question forgotten.<p>

"...Shizu...chan..."


	6. Chapter 6

"What did I just dream..."

Izaya held his head as he sat up, the sun peeking through his dark curtains.

"Shizu-chan doesn't trust me..."

Then he did something unexpected.  
>He started to laugh.<br>He didn't stop for a few seconds until he was out of breath. When he finally did stop, it was abrupt.

"How typical of him! He's a protozoan, after all! What did I expect from the likes of him?"

He stopped, his grin replaced with a frown.

"Why doesn't he..."

He remained staring at the sheets before him for quite some time before he got up to start his day.

* * *

><p>Staring.<p>

It was all the informant could do.

He stared at the folder on top of his desk and didn't dare to open it. Something felt...wrong...about this whole situation. It had been happening for the past four days.

Izaya would continue his work, but there was one thing he hadn't yet gotten to.  
>He couldn't bring himself to do anything about Shizuo's little brother, Kasuka Heiwajima.<p>

But what was he supposed to do? The men who wanted him 'out of the way'...dead or alive, were still waiting for his actions. And now, Izaya wasn't so sure that he wanted to do it.

Originally, the first day he was given the file, he had planned to have Kasuka kidnapped and held somewhere for a while, to give the monster of Ikebukuro a little scare. It would have been fun to see his behavior after hearing that his dear brother had gone missing. Izaya wouldn't allow any harm or death to come to the young actor, of course. He wasn't _that _cruel.  
>But since that night...since that <em>dream<em>...Izaya was starting to rethink his plans.

_"Let me make one thing perfectly clear, flea. I don't trust you. I never have, and I never will__**.**__" _  
><em>"You've hurt me so many times, Izaya." <em>  
><em>"I just can't trust you." <em>

The words echoed in his head constantly, haunting him.

"Why do I care if he trusts me or not? It's not like he ever has, and he doesn't have a reason to..." He trailed off as he slumped into his office chair.

"After everything, Shizu-chan. You even didn't believe me when I denied being involved with the Slasher. That was true, and you _still _didn't believe me, until Celty showed you proof on her phone..." He let out a long sigh. "I suppose there are times that I wish you would..."

Izaya stood up and looked back at the file on his desk.

"Go away. I don't want anything to do with you." He spoke to the folder as if it were alive.

"If I want Shizu-chan to stop doubting me, I need to start by changing a few things..."

Suddenly, an idea hit him.

He took one last look at the paper inside of the folder and nodded.

"Alright. If this is to play out right, it looks like I'll need to place dear 'Yuhei Hanejima' into temporary hiding..."

* * *

><p><em>Knock knock knock. <em>

Shizuo looked up from his plate and set down his chopsticks, standing up to attend to the door. Who would be visiting him?

"Hello, brother." A surprised blonde opened the door to see the young actor.

"Kasuka...What are you doing here?"

"I thought that I would visit you." He walked inside as Shizuo stood aside to let him in. "I'll be in town for a couple of days for a break from filming."

"Oh? That's great Kasuka! I don't have work for the next few days either, 'cause Tom's out of town." He paused. "Were you planning on staying in that really nice hotel again or-"

"Actually, I was wondering if I could stay here with you this time. Is that alright?" Kasuka blinked with his normal calm stare.

Shizuo raised his eyebrow. Wouldn't he prefer a nice five star hotel? Why would his brother, a well-known actor, want to stay at his small apartment? Yes, there was enough room for another person, but was he serious?  
>The blonde shook the negatives out of his head as his smile widened. "Y-yeah! Sure! Stay as long as you want."<p>

His brother nodded and went to collect his suitcase, which had been outside of the apartment in the hallway. Then he set it next to the couch and closed the door, locking it behind him.

* * *

><p>It had been two days since Shizuo's younger brother had been staying at his place.<p>

That morning, the brothers ate their breakfast, saying little to each other. Kasuka took small bites, chewing slowly and then waiting a moment before taking another. Shizuo had already finished eating, so he stood up with his dishes to set them in the sink.

"Are you thirsty?" Shizuo asked as he walked over and bent down at his small refrigerator, taking out a can of green tea, holding it up to his brother as the actor approached him with his finally-empty plate.

"Thank you." Kasuka took the can and opened it carefully, taking a small sip.

There were a few long moments of silence between Kasuka's sips and the sound of the tea hitting the sides of the inside of the can as he moved it in his hands. Shizuo took out a bottle of milk and gulped it down as his brother drank his tea.  
>After Shizuo had finished, he stood up to put his bottle in the trash.<p>

"Brother, perhaps I should tell you _why _I'm here." The blonde turned to face the young actor with a questionable look on his face.

"What do you mean why? I thought you were taking a break from shootin-" Kasuka put a hand up to silence his brother.

"I mean to say that I think that you should understand why I am _here_, in your apartment, rather than a hotel."  
>He kept a blank stare as he spoke.<br>"I received a phone call yesterday. It was quite alarming. I was told that my life was in danger."  
>Shizuo flinched. Kasuka nodded and continued.<br>"So, they told me to hide out at a place that no one would suspect. Since only those close to us know that we are brothers, I didn't see any harm in coming here. I couldn't imagine any safer place than here with you." Then he did a rare thing. He smiled. It was a small smile, but enough to be obvious.  
>Even though that smile had been meant to be a form of reassurance, Shizuo still couldn't help but remain motionless, his eyes wide. Who wanted to harm his brother?<p>

Who wanted his brother..._dead_?

"Kasuka, this is serious! How could you possibly smile at a time like this?" Shizuo walked past Kasuka and went to the window, looking around before closing it tightly and locking it.  
>"Aside from that, did you get any other information from-...Who was it that called you, anyway?"<p>

Kasuka looked at a spot on the wall past Shizuo. "It was a man, he sounded young. He warned me that he had received some information about how a company wanted me to 'disappear'. He told me to hide, and that he would make sure that this company would fall before they got their hands on me."

A young man? Information?

The words should have clicked in the bodyguard's head at that moment, but they didn't.

Instead, Shizuo sat down at the kitchen chair and put his arm on the table. "Did you get a name from this guy? How do we know this isn't a trick?"

The brunette shook his head. "He said that his name isn't important right now, and his immediate concern was my safety as soon as he heard about this threat. Apparently these people want to create a tragic event in the movie industry, and I'm the one they're after. He said that he has proof, and he even received a file on me that was presented to him-"

"Wait, wait...Kasuka, why does this guy have a file on you? Doesn't that seem a little bit, you know, suspicious?"

The young actor shook his head again. "Brother, with my career, I have lots of people like that looking out for me. I have my bodyguards, and getting a call from time-to-time regarding my safety is not uncommon. However, this has been the most severe case yet."

It amazed Shizuo how Kasuka could remain so..._calm_...in a situation like this.  
>He nodded with understanding as his brother continued.<p>

"He told me to think of him as a 'detective', of sorts. He specializes in information, and he has his ways of getting it. Sometimes those kinds of people go to him, but he told me that he gets back at them in the end with their own pursuits."

Shizuo froze. The words were starting to form an idea in his head of just who they might be dealing with.

This person specialized...in information...  
>Information...an informant specialized in that, obviously.<p>

The blonde shook his head angrily as the confused actor watched with question.

No, that lousy flea wouldn't do anything like this! He wouldn't concern himself with helping others. That was unlike him. Especially if it had to do with protecting a member of Shizuo's own family.

The blonde immediately concluded that this _had to be _someone else.

"Alright. Did this guy say if he would notify you when it would be safe to leave?"

"Yes." Kasuka nodded and looked Shizuo straight in the eye. "He even said that he would come to tell us personally."

Shizuo blinked.

"Personally? He's going to come here, you mean?"

Kasuka nodded.

"Why would he do that?" Shizuo ran his fingers through his bleached hair in thought.

"He said that it would be a better way for us to be certain that it's safe. He was going to bring more information on who's after me and assure me that they aren't a threat anymore."

Shizuo looked to the side and drifted back into thought as his younger brother waited patiently.

"Alright, so it's been a couple of days. Any idea when this will all be taken care of?"

Kasuka opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a sudden knock at the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Shizuo and Kasuka met each other's eyes as they heard the knock.  
>It couldn't be time yet, could it?<p>

Slowly, Shizuo headed towards the door. Kasuka followed behind, staring curiously as his brother reached for the knob.  
>Suddenly, the thought of Izaya being behind that door flashed through his mind. He hesitated briefly, then shook his head, reminding himself that the flea wouldn't be doing any of this.<p>

As the door opened, he still couldn't help but close his eyes and mentally prepared himself for who _might_ be there. But then he opened his eyes and...

"Shinra?"

"Hey Shizuo, hi Kasuka." He put a hand up in greeting.

"What are you doing here? You aren't that guy are y-"

Shinra pushed past him and set a large binder onto the table. Shizuo shut the door and watched the seemingly-rushed doctor.

"I came here as soon as I could." He opened up the binder and flipped a few pages until he reached a particular page.

"Yuhei Hanejima. Occupation, Actor."

He began to read loudly as Shizuo and Kasuka walked to the table to look over his shoulder.

"Status, To-be-terminated. Details on his abduction are pending. Actions are to be carried out within one week of this task having been presented."

Shinra looked up at the two men to be sure that they were paying attention. Shizuo's eyes were widened while his brothers still remained neutral, with knowing. The bodyguard grabbed the binder and looked at it closely.

"So it was true..." He turned towards the underground doctor. "Are those people who are after my brother...are they no longer a threat?"

Shinra sat down at the table and sighed. "Yes. It's safe for Kasuka to leave. It has been confirmed. I brought everything that I was told to." He turned a page in the binder. "But...there was a cost to all of this." The page showed information on two men, obviously the people behind the threat.

"Cost? How do you mean?" Shizuo sat at the table and looked at the photographs on the page. "...Bastards..." He muttered to himself as he pushed the binder away.

"Weeellll...you're probably surprised to think that _I_ am the one who supplied you with this information."

The blonde nodded as his brother patiently stared.

"But I'm not."

Kasuka turned his head. "I figured. Your voice sounds much different than that of the person I spoke with."

Shinra grinned at this comment.

"Shinra, if you aren't this person, then where is he?"

The underground doctor put a hand to his head and slumped his shoulders. "Remember I mentioned that there was a cost to all of this? Well, something...something sort of...happened..."

"Happened?" Shizuo watched the brunette with slight impatience.

Shinra adjusted his glasses as he tried to find the right words.

"Last night, Celty was assigned a transporting job. She went in and took care of everything she was assigned. But when she was ready to leave, she noticed two men...these two, in fact..."

He pointed to the page.

"They were outside of the building. They went inside, then exited shortly after. They looked suspicious,"

_More suspicious than that man's usual clients_...Shinra thought.

"She watched them for a while and overheard some of what they were saying. They had mentioned something along the lines of a certain someone being 'easy to put out'. When Celty heard this, she rushed back inside and found her client lying on the ground, unconscious."

He paused.

"So she brought him to our place and now he's there, recovering. It would seem that he had been tased." He nodded towards the two silent men. "I came in his place. He had told Celty a bit about what was going on before he had been attacked, and she told me. I knew that I had to get this information to you quickly."

Shizuo sat in silence, taking in what had been said. This was all happening so fast. The man, who had possibly saved his brother's life, was risking his own.

"Shinra, you said that these men attacked that guy. That would mean that they're still around. If they got away and-"

"No, Shizuo. You don't get it. Their plan has been demolished. They've failed. The real person in charge of this potential tragedy is currently behind bars." He nodded towards the binder. "The men who you see in the file used to work for them, but they aren't much of a threat to Kasuka anymore because their boss is in prison. They don't work in the industry now, therefore, they have no access to even getting close to your brother."

"_Not much _of a threat? That makes me feel so much better." The bodyguard rolled his eyes as he stood to face away from the doctor. "Well, I guess if it's safe again. As long as you feel okay with going back now, Kasuka. It's up to you."

The young actor nodded his head. "I have some pretty reliable bodyguards that are always with me. Including you, brother. You're the best one yet." Shizuo blinked and smiled widely at this comment. "Thank you for having let me stay here with you."

"Anytime, Kasuka. I'm glad that I can be of some help to you."

* * *

><p>The brunette slowly opened his eyes and quickly closed them again upon the brightness of the light. He soon made another attempt and was then able to adjust.<p>

_Where..._

The lighting in this room wasn't dark like he was used to at his home when he normally woke up. It was almost like a room for patients at a hospital...

That was when he realized where he was.

_Shinra's place...what happened to me? _He sat up and looked at his arms._ There's nothing weird attached to me like needles or anything, so it must have been minor...Although...I do feel slightly dizzy..._

Izaya slumped back into his pillow and allowed the dizziness to fade. When it did, he looked to his side at the doorway. When was someone going to be around to check on him?

A seemingly panicked dullahan suddenly burst through the door, accompanied by Shinra, who was just as nervous as she.

"Izaya! You're awake!" He ran to his friend's bedside and grinned down at him.

"Hey Shinra..." He looked away to his hands. "What happened to me?"

Shinra adjusted his glasses as Celty typed something frantically on her phone.

"-You were tased by those two men from that file you had. I brought you here after you fell unconscious.-"

Izaya nodded. "They're too stubborn for their own good. Heh." He shrugged and laid deeper into his pillow.

Just as soon as he had relaxed, something crossed his mind which made him bolt upright.

"The file! I have to get it to-"

"Already taken care of, Izaya. Please try to calm down." The doctor watched as his patient's shoulders rested.

"How did that go?"

"I went in your place to report the information. Kasuka has already returned to Europe, where he has been for the past few months filming. He has stronger protection now, as well. Everything's okay."

Izaya held the underground doctor's gaze for a long while before breaking it to stare at his hands again.

"I see. Thank you, Shinra. And thanks to you too, Celty. For bringing me here."

Shinra exchanged what _would be _glances with the headless woman, smiling. Izaya rarely thanked anyone, after all.

"One more thing...did you tell them that it was me?"

Shinra's smile dropped into a serious expression. He hadn't told Shizuo that it was, indeed, Izaya who had pretty much saved his brother. He couldn't think of how the blonde would react, so he hid the details.

"No."

Izaya nodded once more at the response, keeping his attention to his bed sheets. Shinra sighed and sat down in a chair nearby.

"I didn't tell them because I didn't know how he would react. He wouldn't believe me if I said that you, of all people, were behind this. He probably would think that it were a fraud, or a joke of some sort."

Izaya frowned.

"You know how Shizuo gets with you. Don't act like that's not expected."

He paused when he saw how unusually...depressed...Izaya seemed to be. He just kept staring at his hands.

"Jeez Izaya, if I had known that you wanted me to reveal it was you, I would have. I'm just surprised that you would want that. I mean, Shizuo and you aren't exactly on the best of terms. Why would you wa-"

"Shinra," Izaya cut him off. "I have my reasons. But I'm not mad at you. You didn't know, and I appreciate that you brought this over to them." He began to move his legs off of the bed when he suddenly felt light-headed.

"This again..." He laid his head on the pillow and let out a long sigh. "Shinra, please tell me that I'm not going to suffer long-term waves of dizziness..."

"You won't. The effects of the taser, including soreness throughout your body, should have passed by now. You've been out for about three days, after all."

The informant frowned. "Three days? But why am I dizzy then-" Izaya mentally hit himself for asking something with such an obvious answer.  
>Shinra answered anyway.<p>

"You haven't eaten in a few days and you've been sleeping the whole time. So you can guess why. Celty will get you something to eat while I run a few tests. I suggest that you try to sit up again and keep yourself that way for the time being. Oh, and drink this,"

He set a glass of water on the side table near Izaya's bed.

"You're probably dehydrated."

He stood up and left the room, Celty typing something else on her phone. She showed it to Izaya.  
>He let out a weak chuckle.<p>

"Now why would that be the case?"

The dullahan, if she had her head, would probably be rolling her eyes at him, unconvinced. She left the room and closed the door softly behind herself.

Izaya sighed. The words that he had read played themselves in his head as he pondered the thought.

_"-You must really want to gain Shizuo's trust, don't you?-"_

He spoke quietly so that no one would be able to hear him from the next room.

"Yeah, I do."


	8. Chapter 8

"It's been four days now since you've been here, Izaya. How do you feel?"

Shinra had a chart in his hands, writing a few notes as he examined his friend, who had his eyes closed.

"Better than yesterday, for certain. Do you think I'll be able to leave today?" The informant opened one crimson eye to look at the underground doctor. The other nodded in response.

"Try to sit up again. I want to see if you still feel dizzy. I won't let you go if you are in any condition of that sort."

Izaya let out a short grunt as he slowly eased himself up. When he finally was sitting up all of the way, he stretched his arms.

"There. I feel fine." He grinned.

"From my recent tests, your vital signs have returned to normal. You're eating enough and drinking properly." The doctor nodded to himself and wrote down a few more notes. "Alright then. Get a bit more rest, and then if you're ready in a couple of hours, you may leave. I'll just let Celty know so that she can get you home later on."

Shinra turned to leave.

Izaya was about to protest and say that he could make it home by himself, but he stopped himself when he took into consideration what had happened earlier. If those men were around, who said that they wouldn't try to hurt him again? Or even worse, what would stop them from trying to kill him?

He decided to worry later as he attempted to rest.

* * *

><p>Shizuo stood outside of Shinra's apartment door, his hand on the knob.<p>

_I'll just go in, and I'll ask him. I'll make him tell me who saved Kasuka...But Shinra's my friend, so I can't just beat him up to get an answer out of him. No wait, why the hell would it matter if I beat him up if he doesn't tell me? He's used to me threatening him. Ha, I'll bet he even- _

"Eh?"

He had opened the door to find that no one was there to greet him. Not the doctor, nor his dullahan.  
>Shizuo made his way around the apartment, observing his surroundings. No one.<p>

A light coming from a partially-opened door of a particular room caught his attention.

_The patients room. It's occupied. I wonder if..._

Cautiously, the bodyguard peeked through the crack in the doorway. He could see the form of someone under the sheets, but he couldn't get a full view of the person in the bed.  
><em>Maybe if I-<em>

Screw it.

He opened the door slightly and walked in.

He couldn't see his face, because this person was turned away from the door and his head was hidden under the sheets. The man in front of him was obviously sleeping. Shizuo could hear the slow and calm breathing as he sat in the chair next to the bed.

That was when he noticed the familiar fur-trimmed jacket.

It was there, placed on a chair nearby.

Shizuo turned back towards the man in the bed as he shifted slightly in his sleep. The sheets moved off of his head which allowed Shizuo to get a glimpse of the messy black hair.

"...You..."

Shizuo looked at the floor as he tried to keep himself calm. But the surprising thing was, he didn't feel the same anger boiling up inside of himself. He felt something...different.

Conflicting feelings were swirling around within him as he spoke quietly enough as to not to awaken the informant. He was angry, sure, but it was more or less confusion. Angry confusion, if it made sense.

"...Why the hell would you...do this..."

Shizuo had known that it was Izaya. But he didn't want to believe it. He had tried to doubt it, but all signs pointed to him.

Yet the one thing that didn't make any sense was...why did Izaya do it?

Izaya hated Shizuo, just as Shizuo hated him.  
>Or from what Shizuo understood, anyway.<p>

The feeling was more than mutual...wasn't it?

Without any other word or thought, Shizuo stood up and left, closing the door quietly behind himself and left the informant in his peaceful slumber.

* * *

><p>A couple of days later, Shizuo sat alone in his apartment on the couch, staring expressionlessly at the floor.<br>He had been doing it a lot since the day he found out about Izaya. It was definitely something that was difficult to take in.

_I need to go out for a bit..._

Getting up, the bodyguard decided to take a walk around town to clear his head. Tom was still out of town, so he had no job to get to.  
>He locked his door behind himself and left the apartment building, lighting a fresh cigarette as he began to make his way towards the heart of Ikebukuro.<p>

A few hours later, Shizuo wandered through the streets. Putting out his fourth cigarette, he sat down in an empty alleyway against the wall and sighed. He needed to rest a bit after walking the whole time.  
>But he also needed time to think.<p>

_Why did he do it?_

The same question passed his thoughts constantly. Whenever he tried to think about something else, the question crossed his mind again.

_Dammit. _

He kept his head hanging low as he gave in to his tiredness and tried to rest.

But it wasn't long before the very person who was occupying his thoughts stood not far away from him, his surprisingly almost..._nervous _voice breaking his concentration.

_"Sh-...Shizu-chan?"_

**Present Day**

Shizuo finally took his arms from Izaya and stood before him, a small smile on his face. Izaya tried to keep a calm composure, but he failed desperately.

What was with this? This whole situation was just...completely _unlike _both of them.

"Well...if you really do forgive me, as you say..." Izaya gulped. His composure really was messed up. He'd never been like this before. "...What do we do now?"

The blonde stared questionably. "What do you mean?"

The feeling of irritation with the bodyguard not knowing how to answer a simple and _painfully obvious_ question was starting to linger in the informant. Izaya felt the sudden urge to point it out in the most sarcastic way possible, but then he stopped himself.  
>They had just started to be on good terms.<br>Wait...was it good terms? Or was it something else?

"Shizu-chan..." The brunette tested Shizuo's reaction. He hated that nickname, so surely it would make him-

Nothing.

"Yes?"

"…You aren't mad."

"No, not at the moment. Should I be?"

"But I just...!" Izaya turned away and let out a large sigh. His companion tilted his head in wonder.

"I just meant that...you forgive me, so...what happens now? Are you not going to be throwing a vending machine at me ever again?"

Shizuo blinked and kept his eyes on the informant. But then, he let out loud laugh. Izaya watched him, clearly puzzled.  
>A moment later, he calmed down and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He was met with the blank eyes of the informant.<p>

"Depends if you piss me off again, flea." He chuckled.

Izaya found himself strangely relieved.  
>Yet at the same time, a small part of him was slightly disappointed.<p>

They wouldn't be continuing their daily routine.

There was an odd feeling of excitement and adrenaline whenever Shizuo would chase after him. The possibility of getting caught...the thrill of the idea... That was what made it so fun for the brunette.

"Shizu-chan, even if I don't anger you, couldn't you...continue?" He found himself ask out loud.

Shizuo stared at him, frowning. "Continue?" He looked to the side. "You want me to _continue _throwing things at you? Why?"

A reasonably decent excuse came into Izaya's head. "Well, wouldn't it be odd for the people of Ikebukuro to see the two people who used to fight everyday suddenly not even _react _to the other's presence?"

Shizuo stood there and listened to his former rival, taking his words into account.

"Then I guess they'll have to deal with the change."

_Is he serious?_"...Shizu-chan. If that's the case, then I'll have to anger you every day. It's just...too much. It's a huge change."

Another odd stare. "What. So you want me to start throwing things at you just to make a scene? I'm sure that the people can handle it."

It was silent.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Izaya was at a loss for what to say next.  
>How was he supposed to tell Shizuo that he actually <em>enjoyed <em>getting chased? If anything, it would make him sound insane.

Really, who liked getting chased and attacked on a daily basis?

Aside from Izaya, of course.

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm...what will happen next? o.o <strong>

**You'll find out soon~ *wink wink*  
><strong>

**Aside from that, ****I just wanted to thank everyone who has been reading. **

**I couldn't continue without all of your support. ;~;  
><strong>

**A big thank you to all of the wonderful reviews, as well. ^^ It makes me happy whenever I see all of the nice things people have to say, and it motivates me to write more.  
><strong>

**Arigato!~  
><strong>


	9. Chapter 9

_**Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita.**_

* * *

><p>The silence came as a surprise to both of them. Shizuo's gaze didn't leave Izaya as he waited for an answer, but he had waited long enough when the idea dawned on him.<p>

"Izaya...are you saying that you...actually _enjoy_ our little death matches?"

Jackpot.

Shizuo could see right through him.

Izaya supposed that he had made it obvious without even realizing it, so now all that was left was to defend his reasoning.

"They're hardly little, Shizu-chan." He began quietly.

"...Oh?"

"Since high school...we've been doing this since high school." Izaya murmured. "Stopping now would be-..." He trailed off.

Shizuo crossed his arms. "Be what?"

The informant met the eyes of the bodyguard, but said nothing.

"...Well? So what if we've done it since high school. What do you have to say? You-..." Shizuo blinked. "...You're afraid."

"...I didn't say that."

"You're afraid of being judged."

"I _never _said that."

"You have so much pride that your reputation of fighting me is a top priority, isn't it!"

"You're crazy."

"Why else would you object to stopping? Ha! And you tell me that I'm not good with reasoning..."

"Sh-shut up..." Izaya was red in the face from a combination of embarrassment and irritation.

Why was this?

Shizuo was practically reading him like a book!

Worst of all, Izaya didn't even know how to respond.

"Izaya..."

Slowly, Izaya raised his head to find Shizuo standing proudly with a wide smirk on his face, almost playful.

But it turned into a soft smile as soon as the bodyguard saw the defeated look in Izaya's eyes.

"Hmm...how about this. We can continue," Izaya's eyes widened. "But gradually, we'd tone it down each time. That way, people will think nothing of it once we stop altogether."

_Does he even listen to himself? People are still going to notice, regardless. _Izaya debated ideas in his head._ Although, he does make a valid point...Perhaps..._

Izaya shrugged and looked to the side.

"I guess that I could live with that."

He flinched when he felt a small rock rush past him. It was then that Izaya noticed that people were starting to walk around the area. Shizuo had thrown the rock to get him to look that way. If people saw them getting along...

Crimson eyes met gold.

Shizuo spoke with a mischievous smirk. "Good, then you'd better start running, flea."

* * *

><p>"IZAAAAAYAAAAAAA-KUUUUN!"<p>

Civilians turned their heads as they watched the chase unfold.

"You're DEAD, FLEA!" Shizuo swung a street sign in an 'attempt' to hit Izaya.

A loud laugh was his response as his target leapt onto the sign and bounded for an alleyway. Shizuo followed, as he always did.

Once it was secluded, Izaya slowed his pace as Shizuo grabbed hold of his jacket, turning him around and pushing him against the wall.

"Ouch! Shizu-chan, be careful!" Izaya winced as Shizuo loosened his grip.

"Sorry, I never got a chance to do that." Shizuo smirked as the other man frowned at him, dusting off his jacket.

It had been a few weeks now since they had started being on good terms. Their 'fights' now consisted of attacking each other, without actually trying to place harm on the other. Then, Shizuo would chase Izaya into an empty alleyway or section of town, and they would laugh about it.

That was all.

"Chance to do what? Practically throw me against the wall?" He looked up with irritated eyes.

"Izaya, do you realize that in all of the years that I've chased you, I've never once been able to lay a finger on you?"

Shizuo smirked and poked Izaya playfully on the forehead, gentle this time in contrast to when he had pushed him.

"You're right..." Izaya stared thoughtfully at his hand and then touched the spot where Shizuo had poked him.

"But that didn't mean that you had to be so rough, Shizu-chan. Do you sometimes forget your own strength or-..."

He was silenced by a hand on his head, patting it gently. Shizuo chuckled as he watched the brunette's reaction.

"Sh-Shizu-chan..." He pouted as the hand was removed.

"There, does that make up for it?" Shizuo grinned widely.

Izaya rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. I suppose it's a reasonable compensation." He huffed and continued to walk forward.

"Eh? Where are you going?" Shizuo followed closely behind, curious as to what his companion was doing.

"So nosy." Izaya mused.

Shizuo suddenly bumped right into Izaya as he stopped in his tracks, turning around swiftly, knife in hand.

"Izaya, what are you-" He was cut off as Izaya's knife disappeared from his hand in one quick motion, an apparent yell of surprise the result at the end of the alley.

Someone had just become victim to a knife wound.

Following him again, Shizuo ran beside the brunette as best he could, wanting to see what had happened.

When they came to the end, Izaya's mouth curved into a frown.

"I can't believe this…"

The man in front of them lay there, temporarily petrified from the shock of the knife, although it left no serious cut.

"Shizu-chan, meet one of the culprits behind your brother's attempted demise."

He wasn't one of the main two men in charge, but he was the one ordered to carry out the initial kidnapping.

This was just wonderful.

"…This guy?" Shizuo growled.

The man shuddered upon those words, keeping his eyes to the ground as an uncomfortably tight grip was placed on his collar, pulling him up to meet eyes with the bodyguard.

"So, you trying to mess with my family, eh?"

The man was shaking violently now, keeping eye contact broken with the monster of Ikebukuro. When he got no reply, other than some whimpering, he flashed an almost evil smile.

"You're dead."

Just like that, the man was thrown across the sky and over buildings, his landing place unknown.

"We could have kept him here for questioning, you know." Izaya suggested as he retrieved his weapon, which was sticking out of the wall, and cleaned it with a small cloth.

"After all, don't you think it would be good to know if those men are planning anything else?"

"You're the informant. Can't you find another way to figure out their plans without them knowing? If you were to question that guy, he'd probably run off and tell them, then they'd change their plans. If they had any, that is."

"Ooh, my protozoan is getting smarter!" Izaya grinned as Shizuo raised an eyebrow at him.

"You still going to call me that?"

"Old habits die hard." The brunette beamed as he walked by his companion, looking to each side to check for potential danger.

Izaya looked back at Shizuo, the smile never leaving his mouth. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"If anything, you're a die-hard. It's next to impossible to even scratch you."

Izaya's crimson eyes blinked.

"Ah, but you remember Simon left me with a black eye when…well…never mind." Izaya waved his hand and walked off.

Shizuo froze at those words.

…_What was that?_

"Now wait just a second, flea-" Shizuo followed after the informant, walking a bit faster, putting an arm on either side of the brunette and trapping him against the wall. Izaya questionably looked the other in the eye.

"Do you mean to tell me that after _everything_ that I've hit you with, not a _single_ scratch is left on you…but Simon punches you _once_ and gives you a black eye?" Shizuo found himself yelling. "What the hell?"

"Now don't you think that you're overreacting a bit, Shizu-chan? Besides, this happened months ago. It was when I was caught off-guard an-"

"Dammit Izaya!" Shizuo yelled and put a fist to the wall right near the other's head, some rubble crumbling to their feet. Izaya flinched, but only slightly.

He hadn't known that it had happened.

Why did this infuriate Shizuo so much?

Was it because he was never able to actually harm the very person he had been _trying_ to harm for the past 7 years, and someone else _was_ with no trouble at all?

But that would have been the answer before everything that had changed between them.

That being the case, maybe it was because Shizuo had come to almost…care…about Izaya? The fact that someone had harmed him and he didn't know made him feel unpleasant.

Shizuo had always said that the flea was his to kill. Even though that wasn't exactly his primary goal anymore, that rule still stood. Everyone knew that.

Izaya was his to beat up.

He was his to chase, and his to fight.

It had always been that way.

The flea was _his_.

* * *

><p><strong>Gomen for the late update.<strong>

** I'm trying to stay consistent but I guess I got behind... ^^'**

**The next chapter should be..._exciting_. }) **

**(.) (.) -shifty eyes-**

**I should also mention that this story's rating is going to go _up_ in a few chapters...  
><strong>

***ahem***

**^0^' Aaaanyway, thank you for reading and please review!~  
><strong>


	10. Chapter 10

_**Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita.**_

* * *

><p>"<em>Dammit Izaya!"<em>

Izaya looked to the ground, watching the crumbled fragments of the wall turn to dust around their feet.

He didn't know what he had done wrong, or why Shizuo was so upset. Of course he had his anger issues still, but this was a bit unreasonable.

Looking up slowly, Izaya gave his companion a calm stare.

"Shizu-chan…"

He began as Shizuo breathed heavily, eyes wide in anger, looking to the ground.

"…Shizu-chan…"

Shizuo glanced up, somewhat sobered from Izaya's gentle voice. "What." He growled.

"I was hit by Simon,"

Shizuo's eyes narrowed. The brunette didn't break his stare on the bodyguard.

"But I deserved it. It was…well, sort of a wake-up call for me. It made me realize that I didn't actually want to kill you-" He gave a small smile and continued. "He explained to me that I was going too far, and the things that I did would eventually catch up to me if I didn't change anything sooner."

_But that's not why I'm pissed off!_Shizuo started to calm down, but he kept his hands against the wall.

Shizuo found himself able to speak gently. "So, is that why you saved my brother?"

Crimson eyes blinked up at him.

"I'm still amazed that you ever found out about that…"

Shizuo put a hand throw his hair and looked at the ground. "Yeah. It wasn't difficult to figure out. It took me a while to settle with the idea that it was you. But I knew." He paused. "So, is that why you did it?"

"Ah, it was a small line of events which led up to that decision, Shizu-chan."

Now it was the blonde who blinked, but in confusion. "Uh…care to explain that?"

Izaya laughed as he put his hand onto Shizuo's other arm which was trapping him from escape. He eased it down, with no complaints from the other.

"This is going to sound ridiculous…but the final outcome was influenced by a dream."

Shizuo tilted his head. "A dream?"

Izaya nodded. "Well, after everything happened with Simon, I resumed my daily routines. I really didn't think much about his words, at the time. I hadn't known what the affect would be later on."

Peeking out once more in search of other people, he started to walk out slowly towards the mostly deserted streets. Shizuo sighed quickly and followed after him.

"After that fight we had…before your brother visited your apartment," Shizuo nodded at the memory, although Izaya was walking ahead of him and didn't see. "Your words got through to me."

Shizuo stopped in his tracks.

"…My…words? What did I say?"

The informant stilled and turned slowly to face his companion, his head lowered and bangs covering his eyes.

"You said that…you didn't trust me."

It was silent. Shizuo opened his mouth to speak, but found that he couldn't respond.

How could he respond to that?

_He did all of that to earn my trust?_

Izaya knew that he shouldn't expect a response. They never had _actually_ talked about the whole ordeal with Shizuo's little brother since everything had happened. In fact, this was the first time that the subject had been brought up in full detail.

Izaya slowly lifted up his head to meet eyes with the bodyguard.

"Those words made me realize how much I wanted someone to believe me. What Simon had said was also starting to make sense to me."

Izaya started to pace around and use his arms for exaggeration.

"But I work with liars and cheaters all of the time! It's something I'm used to and it never even dawned on me that there was…something…something missing in my life."

He stopped, his back to his companion.

"And even myself…I lie to myself, Shizu-chan."

"Izaya…"

"I can admit that I'm not usually an honest person. But in order to survive in this world with my humans, I need to keep evolving." He gave Shizuo a small smile, remembering when he had said something similar to Mikado Ryuugamine. But this time, the advice was being applied to himself.

"I know that I'm not the only one with secrets, and I know that others often times change who they are in front of others as well. A sort of mask, which they put on to make themselves acceptable for all sorts of circumstances. One person could live their entire life and never truly be who they are around other people, aside from when they are by themselves. But that is a very different case with me."

They were at a small water fountain by now, Izaya having reached a bench to sit down. Shizuo was still focusing on the informant's words, trying to make sense of just what Izaya was getting at.

Shizuo still didn't completely understand what Izaya was even saying.

But of course, Izaya didn't usually make sense to anyone.

"I said that I lie to myself. When I'm alone, Shizu-chan, I'm still not able to be, well, me. It's like there's this constant presence of someone else there, and I have to put on my own mask to convince even them of my false existence…"

Izaya lowered his voice, as if he were thinking out loud.

"I speak my thoughts aloud a lot of the time, so it's no wonder that this habit of another 'someone' being there…has come to be."

Shizuo had to listen hard to catch what he was saying.

So Izaya talked to himself? That wasn't necessarily odd…most people spoke to themselves every-so-often…

"Well, anyway, I began to be haunted by dreams of just how bad everything was. Nightmares, almost. Those words were repeated over and over, and I would wake up with so much guilt and a wish for relief. With that, I couldn't take it anymore. I did what I could when the opportunity came about. Someone wanted your brother gone. I took it upon myself to insure that didn't happen."

He put a hand in his pocket and pulled out his switchblade, quietly observing the edge of the knife. Shizuo finally took a seat next to him, watching patiently.

Izaya had just opened up to him.

This was probably the first time that he had ever spoken so openly to anyone.

On top of that, Shizuo could tell that Izaya wasn't lying at all. He really was speaking the truth.

Shizuo knew Izaya well enough that he could tell whenever he lied. He could tell by the small change of his voice, or the way his eyes shifted ever so slightly. The smile that he gave him before was sly and a promise of dishonesty.

Shizuo was most likely the only one who could read him so well. It had been a necessity when they were enemies.

Even so, the smiles he received now were real.

Izaya might have been a professional liar, but Shizuo could still see right through him.

"Flea…"

A crimson gaze looked his way.

"I never got to really tell you…uh…" He put a hand behind his head and looked at the ground, almost awkwardly.

"Hmm?"

"Thanks! I-I mean…dammit…"

He swallowed the lump in his throat, which he found to be strange to even have in the first place. It wasn't that difficult to thank someone, was it?

"I know that…those guys put you out for a bit…you had to stay at Shinra's and you wouldn't wake up for a while there…since you did all of that and everything. So, yeah."

He didn't keep his gaze from the ground for a moment, until he felt slender fingers reach under his chin and gently lift his face to meet shining crimson eyes.

In them, he saw no judgment. If anything, he noticed traces of sincerity and gratefulness.

Izaya wasn't wearing his mask anymore. Not in front of Shizuo.

There was a brush of soft black hair against Shizuo's neck as his companion closed the distance between them in a warm embrace. Taken aback, Shizuo fell onto the bench, Izaya almost forced on top of him. This was changed swiftly, however, and the brunette began to fall _off_ of the bench.

"Wh-what are y-!" Shizuo barely had time to react when he felt the informant slip from his arms. Panicking, Shizuo tried to secure his grasp on the other, but found that to be an immediate mistake. Both of them rolled over the edge of the bench, onto the soft grass.

Izaya's face was buried in Shizuo's chest, and he had tightened his hold on Shizuo as soon as they landed, as if they were going to fall again. Shizuo sighed and put an arm around the smaller man, to reassure him that everything was fine.

It was just a bench. It wasn't like they had fallen from a building.

"Izaya?"

"..Yes?"

The bodyguard chuckled. "We're still alive, you know."

"…I know that." Izaya removed his arms and sat up, immediately turning his head away from Shizuo.

"Hey…Izaya?"

"…"

Shizuo chuckled again and moved closer to the informant. When Izaya slowly turned his head back, he jolted at the closeness between himself and the blonde. Blushing furiously, he avoided any and all eye contact.

Sighing, Shizuo playfully poked Izaya's neck and then gently ruffled his hair, with surprisingly no protest. Afterwards, he stood up and put a hand out to the other. Izaya was still avoiding even looking at him, so he grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him up and back onto the bench.

"Shizu-chan! What ar-" He shouted as he was broken from his trance and set down.

Shizuo gave him a sly smile as he stared down at him.

"Let's do this properly."

Before Izaya was able to ask what Shizuo had meant, he felt two arms wrap around him.

"Sh-Shizu-chan, wh-…"

He could feel himself getting flustered as Shizuo gave him a gentle hug, before ending the embrace, and turning to leave. He put an arm up as he walked away.

"See you later, flea."

Izaya was left on the bench, looking after the bodyguard as he disappeared around the corner. He slumped down and sighed.

"He always does the unexpected…"

Izaya straightened up and stood, adjusting his jacket and proceeding to go the opposite direction.

Something was odd. His pulse was accelerating faster than it ever did. It was similar to whenever he received a burst of adrenaline when Shizuo would chase him, but…

What was this he was feeling?

He tried to ignore the pounding of his heart against his chest as he skipped, and occupied himself by looking through his client's text messages and emails on his phone.

But no matter how much he avoided thinking about it, there was now one thing that was certain.

Izaya Orihara _definitely_ didn't hate Shizuo Heiwajima anymore.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hmm...<strong>_

**Well, things are getting interesting now, _ne_?~ **

**I'm no longer in a writer's block! (Woooo... -_-')  
><strong>

**Rating's going to go up soooon... *sly smile*  
><strong>

**...Buuuut it's not going to be for the reasons you are thinking...for a while. }) **

***evil laughter*  
><strong>

**Or maybe I'm hiding the real reason! You'll have to wait and see!  
><strong>

**It all depends on what happens!  
><strong>

**-evil phase ends-**

***ahem* Arigato for reading and please review!~ ^-^'  
><strong>


	11. Chapter 11

_**Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita.**_

* * *

><p>"So let me get this straight,"<p>

Shizuo set his glass of milk onto the table as he watched Shinra and Celty from across the room.

"There are rumors going around Ikebukuro about myself and the flea, you said. What kind of rumors?"

"Well…" Shinra put a finger up to push his glasses back into place. He still seemed unsure of himself as he lifted his head closer to where Celty's head would be, as if to whisper into her ear.

"Should I really tell him? This is something we should probably keep to ourselves, right?" If Celty had her head, she would be looking down as if uncertain herself. She began to type something onto her phone and showed it to Shinra.

"-I know how you feel. But, we wouldn't want him finding out later on.-"

Shinra gave her a questionable look. Celty quickly clarified her intentions and revealed her phone.

"-What I mean is, what if he's caught off-guard with questions? It's best to tell him now, so he knows what to expect later.-"

"Ah…understood." Shinra turned to face his friend again, keeping himself as serious as he could. Although, inside he was reluctant as to what he was about to do.

"People have been saying…that you and Izaya…well, how do I put this as mildly as possible…"

Shizuo took a gulp of milk and placed his elbow on the table, resting his head on his hand.

"…Yeah? What are they saying?" He kept his attention on the milk and watched the contents from where he had recently drank slide down the glass.

"They think that you and Izaya have been faking all of this fighting, and Izaya's been paying you, all for information." Shinra blurted out quickly, each word still clear.

There was a short silence.

"Hmm, really? Why would they?"

"Because they said that you pretend to fight to give off the illusion that you two aren't working together. They say that Izaya gets information from you from the people you collect debt from…"

Another short silence.

"Well, that's definitely not true." The bodyguard responded indifferently.

"-Shizuo? You seem quite calm about this.-" Celty had walked over to show her phone to him.

"I'm surprised you aren't reacting strongly to this, Shizuo. After all, I've mentioned Izaya several times now and you haven't done anything but drink your milk…" Shinra was next to Celty and staring at the blonde out of curiosity.

"Yeah well, it's not like he's in the room." He took another sip of milk and looked ahead at the wall. "He's back home, probably."

"…Shizuo?"

He didn't look at Shinra. "Hmm?"

"You're speaking quite…_casually_ of him."

"So? Do you want me to blow up in front of you or can't you just appreciate this sort of response instead?"

Shinra flinched. "I-It's not that we don't appreciate it, we're just surprised. You don't even seem phased by all of this speaking of hi-"

"Just drop it, Shinra. I don't really feel like talking about it."

"-We're sorry, Shizuo. We aren't trying to anger you or anything. It's just that this is a bit unexpected.-"

Shizuo sighed out of irritation and nodded towards Celty.

"-But anyway, what are you going to do about what people have been saying?-"

"Nothing. It's just a rumor, and it's not like it's going to have an effect on either one of us. If anyone bothers me about it, I'll hit them." He grinned. "Thanks for telling me, anyway."

"…Shizuo?" Shinra stared at him for what seemed like an eternity before he scratched his head.

"What?"

"Did…did something happen recently or wh-"

"Shinra, it's nothing to worry about." Shizuo kept an angry grin directed the doctor's way. Celty seemed flustered and typed something up quickly.

"-Well, we'll be going now. Thank you for listening, Shizuo. Take care and we'll see you later.-" She grabbed Shinra by the back of his coat and pulled him out of Shizuo's apartment.

After the door shut, Shizuo put his glass in the sink and sighed.

"What's with them…"

He walked back to his couch and felt his phone vibrate before he could sit down. Grunting quickly, he took it out and stared at the name on the screen.

"Huh? Oh."

He flipped open his phone and put it up to his ear.

"Hey."

He walked around the room and grabbed the pack of cigarettes off of his side table, taking a key out of his pocket.

"Yeah, I'll be right over."

Shizuo clicked off the light switch and locked his door.

In another city, a certain man grinned as he set his phone down on his desk and sat in his chair, sighing lightly. He spun around, trying to calm himself.

_It's only Shizu-chan…_

_No…_

_It's __**because**__ it's Shizu-chan… _

Crimson eyes glinted as they watched their owner's fingers click the mouse of the computer continuously, scanning the Dollar's website for anything interesting. Much to his disappointment, the informant found nothing that intrigued him in the slightest. More boring chats about the city and it's typical life.

He scrolled down the chat room, looking for anything…_anything_ at all that might supply some sort of information, or at least enjoyment.

"Hmm…I see that some people haven't been on in a couple of days…"

He signed on as Kanra and typed up a message, pressing enter and leaning back in his chair to wait for a reply.

**-Kanra has signed on-**

**Kanra: **What's up everyone?

**Setton: **Hey Kanra.

**Tanaka Taro:** Hi there!

**Saika: **Evening.

**Kanra: **Sorry, I've been gone for a while. Anything new happening around here?

**Setton: **Not much actually. Things have been surprisingly calm...

**Kanra: **Are you serious? How's that?

**Setton: **Well…we were just talking about how the city has been quiet lately. There's literally nothing going on. It's just…boring.

**Tanaka Taro: **Boring? I'd say it's kind of nice having a quiet city for a change. You know how things typically are…

**Setton: **You're right. Not even much gang activity lately from what I've heard. Do you know anything about that, Kanra?

Fingers hovered delicately over the keyboard as Izaya thought carefully on his next words. Should he mention the recent seemingly tamed behavior between himself and Shizuo? That had to be something on practically everyone's mind, right? But no one said anything about it, even though it was slightly implied by Mikado Ryuugamine.

**Kanra: **Well, I wouldn't know.

What kind of answer was that? Celty and Mikado knew that he was Kanra, after all.

He quickly attempted to redeem himself.

**Kanra: **Perhaps there has been something hidden from everyone in the city that resulted in lowered gang activity rates…or maybe they simply are taking breaks. Even the possibility is that most of the color gangs have broken up.

**Saika: **Yeah, that might be it…

**Tanaka Taro: **Do you really think so? I might have to agree with you on that one.

**Setton: **Seems plausible.

**-Setton has requested private chat with you-**

**Setton: **Izaya, what's really going on? You know that we aren't talking about 'gangs'. Everyone in the city knows that something is off.

…

**Setton: **You're heard the rumor, haven't you?

**Kanra: **Regarding what, may I ask?

**Setton: **About you and Shizuo.

**Kanra: **If it's anything about our fights, I can assure you that the protozoan never fails to enlighten me.

**Setton:** Obviously, you haven't heard it.

**Setton: **Okay, there was this rumor about how you were supposedly paying Shizuo to fake these fights, in order to get information from his clients. Knowing you, I highly doubt it to be true.

**Setton: **I'm just surprised that you of all people didn't know.

Izaya reread the sentence and felt a smile creep upon his face. So, someone was starting rumors to make a joke out of him and Shizuo? That wasn't very kind of them. He'd have to look more into this.

**Kanra: **Well, I do have to get my information from somewhere, Celty. I'll be sure to find out who started this falsehood. Unless you know…?

**Setton: **I don't. Sorry.

The informant suddenly found himself frowning.

**Setton: **Shinra was the first to find out, but it was leaked to him by an email. I have the email address it was sent from though, if that helps you.

The smile returned. Thank you Celty!

**Kanra: **That would be much appreciated.

**Kanra: **I don't need such lies spewed throughout Ikebukuro about me and the protozoan.

**Setton: **Don't try to hide the truth, Izaya.

He blinked.

**Kanra: **Truth? What exactly are you implying?

**Setton: **It seems as if you finally did something right for once.

What was that headless fairy going on about?

**Kanra: **I still don't understand what you're referring to.

**Setton: **Don't deny when I say this.

**Setton: **Things between you and Shizuo aren't the same as they used to be.

A minute passed before Izaya decided to respond, ignoring her realization completely.

**Kanra: **Please be sure to send me the information as soon as possible.

That was when a loud knock was heard on Izaya's door.

**-Kanra has signed off-**

The brunette spun out of his chair and walked quickly to the door, feeling like a smiling idiot as he tried to maintain a decent facial expression. He knew that his success was probably most likely a failure, so he shook his head, hoping to calm himself down. After a few more deep breaths, he opened the door.

* * *

><p>Wow...Sorry for the late update!<p>

I just started school and I've been working on cosplay...drawings...homework...and life in general.

(Excuses...more excuses...I'll just...shut up now.)

I hope that this chapter was satisfactory, at the very least. ^^

As long as I do not encounter any more writer blocks, you should be getting another update soon!~

Thank you for reading, and please comment!~


	12. Chapter 12

_**Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita.**_

* * *

><p>"Hi Shizu-chan!" The ridiculous smile came back anyway as the blonde stepped through the doorway, grinning widely at his companion.<p>

"Hey flea," The bodyguard greeted as he walked in, shutting the door behind himself.

Izaya had prepared some tea, so he brought out a small tray with a teapot and two cups to the coffee table, carefully placing it down.

He sat down on the couch, gesturing for his guest to take a seat as well. Shizuo sat down next to him at a comfortable distance for both of them, although the brunette couldn't help but wish they were a bit closer.

In a sudden effort to grant his wish, he opened his laptop that was sitting on the coffee table, setting it upon his lap.

"Say, Shizu-chan…"

Shizuo looked up from his cup after he swallowed a sip of the hot beverage. "Hmm?" He blew the steam and turned his attention to Izaya.

"Did you know that your brother has another movie coming out in a couple of weeks?" It was a bit of a stupid question, considering Shizuo was the older brother of Kasuka, and he _probably_ knew of every update of his younger brother's movie career. But Izaya didn't care about the risk. He just wanted an excuse to get Shizuo to-

_Perfect._

Shizuo had moved closer to Izaya so that he could get a better look at the laptop's screen.

"Oh yeah! I heard about this. I haven't really gotten a chance to see what it's about."

He put a hand through his hair as he went into thought.

"Kasuka told me he'd be in this, but I suppose he expects me to actually see the movie. He never tells me anything about the plot…" He chuckled. "I try to see them, but I usually rent the DVD rather than go to the theater."

_Because he knows that he might destroy the place. _Izaya thought to himself.

Seeming to read his mind, Shizuo sighed. "You know why I avoid the theater…plus ticket prices are a drag too."

"I don't doubt it for a second." Izaya nodded but then paused. "The ticket prices are what I was referring to, of course."

Shizuo stared at the now seemingly flustered brunette as he watched his face go from panicked to content. Izaya himself may not have been aware of his own transition, but the ex-bartender could read him unlike anyone else.

"Yeah…I know." Shizuo looked away, feeling somewhat awkward, and played with his fingers as Izaya typed away on his keyboard. However, he didn't make any notion to move away.

* * *

><p>It had been only been a few minutes when Izaya suddenly felt hair other than his own tickling his face. He froze when he just barely slanted his eyes to see a head of blonde hair resting on his shoulder.<p>

"Sh-Shizu-!…" He stopped when he heard light breathing, and came to realize that Shizuo had fallen asleep.

_Was he really that tired? _

Izaya smiled as he stared silently at the blonde.

What happened next started with curiosity.

Hesitating slightly, Izaya slowly brought his hand up to touch his companion's hair. He began by stroking it lightly, then proceeded to gently run his fingers through it. Even knowing that Shizuo bleached his hair often, it was surprisingly smooth and soft. He smiled to himself as he continued the motion, only to swiftly lift his hand when the blonde stirred in his sleep. When he saw that Shizuo didn't wake up, he resumed his ministrations.

"When I first saw you, I took an immediate interest in you. You weren't like all of the other humans. Your monstrous strength made that very apparent."

Izaya sighed as he continued, speaking his thoughts.

"So…how did this happen?" He questioned himself aloud. "First I hate you, and then I come to-…"

Pausing, Izaya stared into space as he spoke his next words, as if he couldn't even believe what he was about to say.

"…How could I come to…love you?"

He removed his hand from Shizuo's hair and stood up as he gently laid the blonde onto the couch, so that he could sleep comfortably. The brunette stared, leaning down once more to brush the bangs out of Shizuo's face.

Then, something unexpected occurred.

The bodyguard groaned and shifted, one arm moving to rest on his abdomen, the other arm encircling…Izaya's waist.

He froze.

His pulse quickened when he felt the strong arm securely hold onto him, almost making him topple over onto the couch with Shizuo. He was tempted to lay down next to the blonde, but that would surely create an awkward situation upon his awakening.

Well, perhaps he could get away with it, for a little while.

He shifted so that he could comfortable lay down.

Crimson eyes traveled from Shizuo's rising and falling chest, to his peaceful face. He let his sight linger to his mouth, lips partly open as he breathed in and out. The informant found himself shaking his head as that one thought entered his mind, deeming it a bad idea immediately.

_I have absolutely __**no right **__to steal that from Shizu-chan. _

_Then again, it's possible he has kissed before…NO! _

_No one has ever gone near him…they're all too afraid. I've known him since high school and he's never been with anyone…_

_So one question remains…_

_Would he be happy…with me?_

He sighed rather loudly as he silently debated with himself.

_But I can't just swoop in and take his __**first kiss**__…it's something meaningful to a lot of people, including me! _

_I told myself I would never give special interest to any one particular human…but Shizu-chan isn't exactly a human being, so I don't feel as if I'm cheating by my own rules…_

_He's sleeping, so he would never know. I could do this and…I wouldn't have to suffer rejection…_

_Maybe I could…_

Mind made up, Izaya propped himself up so that he was hovering over the slumbering blonde. Carefully, he placed his left hand behind Shizuo's neck, the other arm on the right side of the couch to support himself.

Shizuo was fast asleep, dreaming about the past few weeks since they had stopped their violent games (this time with no true intentions to harm one another), and how he had began to feel something.

He had actually gotten to know the real Izaya, the one that no one else got to see. They got along quite well, as if they always had been friends since childhood. They knew almost everything about each other, from siblings to their favorite foods.

Izaya had even disguised himself a couple of times, as did Shizuo, so that they could spend time together (as friends, both thought at the time) without suspicion from the citizens of Ikebukuro. Izaya had worn a pair of jeans, similar to his regular attire, and a simple black T-shirt. He also had on sunglasses.

Shizuo had chosen jeans as well, something he rarely wore, along with a button-up white shirt.

They would remain somewhat between Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, avoiding places where they might be recognized.

Not only had Shizuo come to realize that he no longer hated the man, but he also held strong emotions for him, which could only be described as affection. A need to protect him, and a want to hold him in his arms.

He didn't know that the feelings were more than mutual outside of his dream.

Closing his eyes, Izaya felt his mind suddenly go blank as he leaned forward, his own lips close to Shizuo's.

What Izaya wasn't aware of, however, were the two golden eyes that blinked open hazily, watching his motions.

_Izaya… _

He smiled when he saw his face...coming closer?

…_Izaya? What is he-…_

…_No…there's no way that he's about to-…_

Shizuo didn't know what to feel. Izaya was _quite_ _obviously_ about to kiss him.

Admittedly, he did want this.

He had been wanting this.

But he didn't want to embarrass the brunette, nor ruin this moment.

Before Izaya's lips could make any contact to Shizuo's, the blonde turned his head and slumped down further into the couch, causing the informant to go down with him. Izaya was back where he had been not moments before, trapped by a strong hold on the side of the blonde's body.

Shizuo pretended to wake up, his eyes opening slowly. He nonchalantly removed his arm from Izaya, raising both arms over his head and yawning as he sat up. He blinked down at his companion, who was staring up at him with some sort of unreadable expression.

"Sorry, guess I was tired…" Shizuo smiled apologetically as Izaya sat upward as well, face still unreadable.

"…"

Izaya let out a sigh, his emotions now easy to interpret.

"Izaya? Are you alright? I'm really sorry I fell asleep. It's just been a busy week and I haven't had much time to catch up on any re-" He stopped when he felt a hand move onto his own.

The brunette didn't move from his spot, staring straight ahead at the ground. He said nothing, and kept his hand on top of Shizuo's.

_Shizu-chan…I just want to touch him…I want to feel him, to make sure that he's here with me. I can't believe that I missed…but just knowing he's here is enough…for now…_

Shizuo didn't seem to mind, but he could see a somewhat pained look on his companion's face.

"You can tell me if something's bothering you."

He gently cupped Izaya's face and turned it so that it was facing him. Crimson eyes widened. Shizuo smiled reassuringly.

"Shizu-chan…" The pained look didn't seem to subside. How long must he suffer like this?

"You can tell me…it's okay."

"Shizu-chan…I…it hurts." Izaya broke eye contact and looked at the ground again. Now Shizuo was all the more curious.

"What hurts? Did I accidentally harm you when I was asleep?"

Shizuo was suddenly very aware of what he had just said, his answer confirmed as Izaya looked back at him, the pain in his eyes showing all the more.

Yes, Shizuo had harmed Izaya in his sleep. Or rather, so Izaya thought.

Shizuo was awake the whole time that Izaya tried to kiss him, and he had turned away and taken the other's chance with it.

Shizuo had harmed Izaya's feelings.

But he couldn't let him know that he was conscious when the kiss was attempted. It would only hurt Izaya even more.

"Shizu-chan…just…keep your hand here for a while longer…" That was all that was said as the informant looked away, leaning back against the couch and closing his eyes.

Shizuo took this opportunity to intertwine their fingers, which surprised the brunette, causing him to open his eyes to see for himself. In the meantime, Shizuo had leaned back as well, his eyes closed as Izaya stared at him in disbelief.

"You know what people are saying about us, right?" Shizuo spoke calmly, his eyes still shut. The brunette had seemed to relax by then and looked over as he fell back into the couch.

"How I pay you for information, and all of our fights have been a lie?" Izaya chuckled as he felt Shizuo's thumb run against the side of his hand in small circles.

"Exactly. It's funny, really."

"Hmm? Well, yes, people come up with the most ridiculous accusations nowadays…"

"No…what I meant was…it's funny how right they were about that last part."

Izaya froze.

"Last part? Our fights-"

"-have been a lie." Shizuo finished as his honey stare was directed towards crimson.

"Shizu-chan, what exactly are you implying?"

"Simple. We really aren't fighting anymore. It's something we've been doing to cover up the truth."

Izaya sighed.

"And what is the truth, Shizu-chan? What are we hiding from the outside world?" The grip on his hand tightened slightly.

"If we had resolved everything and continued on with our lives without fighting anymore, walking down the street without as much as a glance to the other, people would accept it. If we had even started simply just speaking to each other civilly in public rather than fight, people would also accept that eventually. But…"

Izaya agreed that he had a point, yet…

"We do speak civilly now, Shizu-chan…we could always stop fighting soon. The 'toning down' that we agreed to is almost complete." He grinned.

"Don't act like that's everything that's going on, Izaya." The informant flinched.

"There's something…something that we are both afraid to reveal to everyone else. If it were revealed…how would people take it?" Shizuo stared at the floor. "…I know that I'm not the only one who knows." He hesitantly looked at Izaya, who was looking at their intertwined hands.

"Izaya…"

Shizuo brought his other hand up, softly touching the side of Izaya's face. Crimson eyes blinked up at his own golden gaze.

"I think that I know…"

That was all that Shizuo needed to hear, before he leaned down and captured Izaya's lips with his own.

* * *

><p><strong>...So it begins.<strong>

**/  
><strong>

**There's going to be some angst/drama coming up soon...I'm not sure what to call it. **

**But rest assured, there will not be any conflicts between our two lovers themselves! **

**(All I can think is...poor Izaya... *sigh*)  
><strong>

**As always, thank you for reading, and please review~  
><strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry for the late update, everyone. School started back up again and it's starting to...get to me. But no worries! Things will be back in order quite soon. **

**_Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita._**

* * *

><p>It had taken Izaya a moment to realize <em>what<em> exactly was happening.

At one moment, he felt like his heart was going to break.

It was almost like he was somewhat betrayed, simply because _he_ missed his opportunity to kiss Shizuo when he had been sleeping.

However, when the bodyguard had pressed his lips to his own, all of that was forgotten, and his heart burst with intensified joy as it pounded against his chest.

The blonde's lips were soft, and the kiss was gentle…so much more gentle than Izaya ever had imagined. For a man who had superhuman strength, this was truly unexpected.

Not that Izaya minded.

After a few long moments, Shizuo had wrapped an arm around Izaya's waist, the other around his shoulders in order to pull him closer and keep him there. Izaya settled with placing both of his arms around Shizuo's back.

They remained on the couch, breaking the initial first kiss for a breath of air. There was a brief meeting of crimson and golden eyes, as if they were searching for something. Both asked unspoken questions which seemed to be answered upon eye contact.

After they had gotten their fill of much needed oxygen, Shizuo swooped back down and began leaving swift kisses on the other's lips, then moving to his jaw.

He took immediate notice to the brunettes reactions as he felt him shuddering in his arms, pausing his actions to gaze at his companion.

There were warm droplets of tears rolling down Izaya's face, his whole body shaking as he held on tighter to the blonde, silently crying. His eyes were shut tightly as if they were trying to delay the falling of tears.

The first reaction Shizuo felt was guilt. Had he done something wrong?

"I'm sorry…" He said quietly, placing a hand on the brunette's face to wipe away the tears with his thumb.

"Sh-Shizu-chan…" The blond was caught off guard as Izaya leapt onto him, causing him to fall onto the couch, the informant clinging to him as if for dear life. Not knowing what else to do, Shizuo pulled him so that they were both laying side by side, Izaya snugly fitting in his arms. He proceeded to kiss Izaya's forehead, touching his own to the brunette's so that he could look him in the eyes.

"What's the matter?" He spoke calmly as Izaya's eyes widened, the tears having ceased.

Instead of an answer, however, Izaya looked down at his mouth. Shizuo wasn't expecting lips to be touched to his, ever so slightly, before more light pressure was added. Izaya gripped Shizuo's vest and pulled away, burying his face into the bodyguard's neck.

Shizuo nuzzled his face against Izaya's soft black hair, kissing his head and running fingers through the strands, gently. He felt his companion relax next to him, their bodies pressed together perfectly as they held each other.

"I just…I don't know what to feel…" It was a bit muffled due to Izaya's face being on Shizuo's neck, but it was easy to understand.

"Hmm?" Shizuo paused petting the brunette's hair and waited patiently.

"I mean that…I'm feeling so many emotions right now…" Izaya had lifted his head and rested it so that he was facing the side of Shizuo's face, beginning to observe him closely. "Just moments ago, I felt like I couldn't take it any longer. I felt like I was going to break…"

At this, Shizuo raised his head in alarm.

"Were you really in that much pain?"

His response was a slow nod. "These past weeks have been torment, Shizu-chan. But now, I've gone from one extreme flow of emotions to another, all in one instant."

"Izaya…" Shizuo pressed his lips to his forehead yet again, speaking against it. "I'm sorry for causing all of that."

"There's no need to feel upset…after all, you hadn't know, Shizu-chan." Izaya closed his eyes and smiled as more kisses where left upon his face, freezing when he felt warm breath linger just above his lips.

"But I could have figured it out. I think that we both had known our own feelings, and I'm sure it was pretty obvious based on how we would act," The breath was even closer as lips brushed against each other. Izaya felt Shizuo's mouth curve into a smile. "You and your looking for excuses to be hugged."

"Ne, who was the one who gave in so eagerly?" Izaya opened his eyes and playfully stuck out his tongue, poking it against the corner of Shizuo's mouth. The blonde growled at this and closed the distance with another kiss, applying a bit more pressure than Izaya had earlier.

"Well, it looks like I won't need to come up with excuses to be hugged now…or even kissed, for that matter. You won't stop anyway." He chuckled happily as Shizuo shifted, sitting up and taking the brunette with him so that he was sitting in his lap, pressing one more chaste kiss to the side of his head as if to prove Izaya's point.

"So, now what?"

A long pause.

"Shizu-chan, what an absurd question. That is, firstly, a poor expression of your intentions. You haven't indicated as to what sort of answer you are expecting. It is also, perhaps, one of the most commonly asked questions ever used to express no knowledge on what one is t-" He was shut up by the blonde's mouth over his.

"I'll ask again to fit your preferences, _your highness." _Izaya touched fingers to his own lips, crimson eyes darted to the side in embarrassment. "What do you feel like doing right now to pass the time, while I'm here with you?"

"W-well…" A flustered Izaya leaned backward so that his head was resting on Shizuo's shoulder. "You're the guest and…I've never been in this sort of situation before, Shizu-chan. I don't know exactly what to do…"

Shizuo sighed, then smiled at Izaya's uncertainty yet eagerness to please.

Neither of them had ever been in a relationship before, so this was a new experience for the both of them. But figuring out how to make it work wouldn't be too difficult, as long as they acted the way they had been, right?

"Hey Izaya, how about we just do what we've been doing for the past couple of months?"

Now it was Izaya's turn to mutter, "Hmm?".

"Well, you know how we disguised ourselves those few times before so that we could check out other parts of the city and not be recognized? We could do that again, but this time we would be going on…d-da-….uh, you know…" Shizuo stopped himself. He couldn't bring himself to say it.

Luckily, Izaya understood.

"You'll have to get used to saying the word 'date', Shizu-chan. After all, we'll be going on several of them." He chuckled and kissed the other's jaw, who in turn began to gently run a hand up and down his arm.

"So now…does this mean that you're my…my…b-boyf-…" No one would believe that the fortissimo of Ikebukuro could be flustered this easily unless they saw him now.

Izaya smiled warmly and nuzzled his face into the crook of the other's neck. "Boyfriend? Yes, Shizu-chan. That's exactly what it means. Unless there's something else that you wish me to go by…" He paused as if in deep thought, then moments later, smirked mischievously. "Aha, well, that term wouldn't be quite fitting right now…it can come later on."

"Eh? What term?" Shizuo blinked.

"Nothing Shizu-chan! I was just thinking aloud, is all." He grinned innocently and rested his head back into Shizuo's chest.

Shizuo grunted suspiciously and then decided not to worry about it. If whatever Izaya had been referring to _did_ happen later on, then he'd know…eventually.

"Did you want to go out right now?" Izaya murmured, his eyes closed.

The blonde leaned forward and laid his forehead on Izaya's shoulder, pulling his now-boyfriend closer to himself.

"Nah. I'd much rather stay here."

"Mm." Izaya hummed his approval and shifted so that he was more comfortable. He blinked open his eyes after a moment's time. "You know, I haven't eaten dinner yet, and I highly doubt that you've eaten either."

Shizuo sighed. "You're right. I haven't really gotten a chance. You want to go somewhere?"

"Shizu-chan."

"Yeah?"

"You just said that you'd rather stay here."

"…Yeah…I would. But we could still always go out."

"Ne, that's fine. I'm not really in the mood to leave right now. So, with that said, shall I make us something here or call for delivery?"

Shizuo frowned. His boyfriend noticed his expression and let out a small chuckle at the indecisive look on his face. "How about an easier question. What do you feel like eating?"

The blonde locked his gaze on Izaya the moment he said that.

"I'd say that question is more difficult to answer…but luckily for you, I know what I want."

The brunette tilted his head.

"Alright. What would you like to have?"

"Hmm. Can I have…you?"

Izaya felt the heat rush to his face. "U-uh…Shizu-chan…I'm not an option in this case…"

Shizuo chuckled and nibbled the brunette's ear. "But you taste delicious, Izaya."

"Haah…" He shuddered as he felt the hot breath move from his ear to his neck, where lips pressed against it. "Shi-…ahh…"

He was pulled closer, a warm hand coming up to turn his head slightly so that mouths could meet in another kiss. Immediately deciding that this position wasn't the most comfortable, Izaya moved his legs to the side so that he could face the blonde, wrapping his arms around the other's neck to get more contact. Shizuo placed both of his arms around the other's waist.

After what seemed like minutes, they stopped for air. Izaya sighed and hid his face in Shizuo's shoulder, nuzzling his neck in contentment. His boyfriend rested his chin on top of his head softly.

"So, what are my options again?" Shizuo broke the silence with a hint of playfulness in his voice.

Izaya lifted his head a bit so that he could speak clearly. "I can call for delivery or…I could cook us something…"

"You know, since I can't eat you, I guess that the next best thing would be to try your cooking."

This made Izaya hide his face again, shuddering slightly from the memory of what had just happened as a result of Shizuo having said that before.

However, the thought of making something for his new boyfriend made him smile.

"Alright, I suppose that I could make something. But don't expect anything too fancy."

Shizuo chuckled. "Aw that's fine. I don't typically eat anything considered 'fancy' anyway." He cuddled Izaya closer and grinned. "Knowing you made it is better quality than any expensive restaurant could serve."

How many times must Shizuo make Izaya's heart pound faster with his flattering words and loving affection? This was all overwhelming and almost surreal. But he knew that this was real, and Izaya didn't mind in the slightest.

He had never been happier than he was right now.

* * *

><p><strong>This fluff...THE FLUFF. <strong>

**I just bombarded you with FLUFF. **

**I'm quite proud of myself. 8D**

**But I hope that this chapter keeps you satisfied before the...*ahem* not-so-fluffy parts set in...  
><strong>

**Until then, please comment! ^-^  
><strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**_Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita._**

* * *

><p>They had a simple dinner that night. Izaya was honest when he had said he wouldn't make anything fancy. In fact, they ended up eating a simple curry and rice dish with green tea. Shizuo's was made a bit sweeter while Izaya's was less sweet and more spicy. The ex-bartender was pleased that Izaya knew his tastes so well, but grew a bit concerned when he noticed his boyfriend scrunch his face upon taking the second or so bite of his curry when he had yet to take a bite of his.<p>

"Too spicy?"

"Ne…too sweet…" Izaya took a sip of his tea and grinned while laughing smugly. "This must be yours."

"It took you two bites to figure that out?" The blonde chuckled.

"I was just making sure…" Izaya nodded and shrugged.

He and Shizuo switched bowls as Izaya took a hesitant bite of his curry, this time a look of relief on his face.

"Better?" An amused Shizuo asked.

"Much."

There was a comfortable silence between the two of them as they ate, aside from the sounds of taking bites and sipping tea. Izaya would sneak small glances at Shizuo and smile to himself as he drank his beverage, making sure to not look suspicious.

Not long after, Shizuo broke the silence.

"So I assume that I shouldn't get you any kind of sweets for any sort of occasion?"

Izaya looked up and thought about what he was asked, then proceeded to chuckle. "Ne, I'm not that picky. If you give me anything I'll definitely not let it go to waste…"

He smiled when his eyes met with the bodyguard's, which held a spark of hinted laughter.

"Alright. But just to be safe, I'll go with flowers or dark chocolates…if the event calls for it, that is."

"Shizu-chan, are you already talking about Valentine's Day?" Izaya frowned and lifted his chopsticks to his mouth, taking another small bite. After he chewed and swallowed, he gave his attention back to Shizuo.

"Well, not exactly. But I'm just trying to figure out what would be best to get you, for anything, really." He smiled at the other, who in turn smiled back.

"Aww Shizu-chan, you don't have to get me anything. You're good enough of a present for me." He stuck out his tongue playfully at his boyfriend.

Shizuo blinked as Izaya took a few bites of his own food, satisfied with how he had rendered his companion speechless.

"Izaya."

"Hmmm?"

"You'll still get something whether you want it or not."

"…Fine then…" Izaya sipped from his cup. "Hmm, well, you aren't as difficult as me. I'll be sure to get you lots of sweets."

"Well, that's nice and all but, I think I made it perfectly clear earlier…" An intense set of honey eyes bore into Izaya's crimson. "I only want you."

Izaya gulped at the reminder of nearly being 'eaten' by his boyfriend.

Shizuo went on eating as if he hadn't said anything so flustering. After he took his final bite, he pushed his bowl and chopsticks to the side, placing his right hand on his cup to take a drink.

"A-alright…so no sweets then?" The informant nervously laughed.

No response.

"Shizu-chan? Fine, I'll still get you something at least, because I know you can't resist sweet thi-"

The next thing he knew, he was laying underneath the blonde, one hand on the side of his head and the other cupping his cheek. Shizuo was on top of him, his fiery stare embedded in Izaya's mind as the distance was closed between them. Izaya couldn't help but melt into the kiss. It was absolutely perfect, the way their lips seemed to fit together.

Every single kiss made up for all of their years of fighting combined each time. And each time, the kiss got better and better.

Izaya had to wonder how Shizuo was such a great kisser, considering he had never done it with anyone else before. But then again, Izaya himself had no prior experience to compare with either. It was simply that their kisses held so many feelings behind them, and it felt right to be with one another. No other explanation could describe it.

After a few more moments of gentle kisses and tender embracing, Shizuo climbed off of his boyfriend and helped the other up by taking his hand. Izaya stared at Shizuo with a soft smile, reaching out to cup his face and place another chaste kiss on his lips.

"What would you like to do now, Shizu-chan?" He stared at the other, waiting patiently as the blonde thought to himself.

"Hmm..." Shizuo looked from his boyfriend to the floor, then back to Izaya, a wide grin forming on his face. "How about we pay 'Bukuro a visit?"

"Really? You want to go back already?" Izaya tilted his head. "You were just there earlier."

Shizuo shrugged. "Yeah, but I got a fun idea. You might like it."

After the dishes were cleared, Izaya went to the door and put his shoes on, grabbing his jacket and keys. Shizuo followed not long after, shutting the door after they both exited the apartment. Once they made it outside, they began the walk to Ikebukuro, hand in hand.

* * *

><p>"Shizu-chan, what did you want to do here?" It was now quite dark outside. The city lights drowned out the moonlight in most places except the park and rundown areas. Shizuo swung their arms as he smiled, getting more and more excited to put his plan into play.<p>

"You'll see...I just want to try something here." He seemed to be looking around for something, leaving Izaya confused. After they had gotten deeper into the city, Shizuo stopped, causing his companion to come to a stop as well. "Perfect."

Izaya followed the other's line of sight and saw the crowds of people walking around the city, like always. "Shizu-chan, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Shizuo's grip on his hand tightened slightly as he turned to face the brunette. "I want to take this opportunity to have fun. I want to experience the thrill of the chase again...but this time, it will be different."

Izaya was now even more confused. "Could you explain?"

"Izaya, you're even more intelligent than me, and you can't figure it out?" Shizuo had an amused look on his face. "I want to run through this city and chase after you, simply for the excitement it causes. You remember how it was..."

The informant finally understood once Shizuo clarified everything, and he had to think that it was a good idea. Sure, they had been keeping up with their 'cover chases' so that no one in Ikebukuro would suspect anything, but they had been toned down to the point that Shizuo didn't destroy public property anymore. They weren't even chases at all, and Izaya had to admit that he missed the adrenaline rush he had received whenever he was chased.

"So Shizu-chan likes to chase after me, ne?" He gave a sly remark as a glint of mischief was shown in the other's eye, obviously happy with his boyfriend's cooperation. "What is he going to do if he catches me?"

Shizuo let out a low growl in response. "Not if. When." He got closer. "As for what he'll do, you'll just have to find out for yourself, won't you, I-za-ya." The brunette shuddered when he heard his boyfriend speak that low voice into his ear, making him look forward to the chase even more.

"Alright, so when shall we start?" Izaya beamed up the blonde.

Regrettably, Shizuo released the other's hand and stepped back. "Whenever you are ready."

"Do you wish us to attract attention?"

"It adds to the excitement. So what do you think?" The blonde paused.

"I-za-ya."

He started in a playful low growl. A wide smirk was the other's response to his name.

"I-za-yaa..."

It was said much louder this time, and said person felt his heartbeat pick up as he stepped back more, the adrenaline beginning to kick in. With one final look of reassurance, he dashed off into the city, careful to avoid running into any people amongst the crowds.

"I-ZA-YAAAAAAAA!"

* * *

><p>Civilians looks up in alarm as a call that hadn't been heard in months echoed through the city. Mindful of how things used to go, they moved into nearby shops or as far from the voice as possible. They didn't want to be a part of the possible damage, after all.<p>

The brunette man ran, then he jumped. Any obstacle didn't exist in the game of parkour. Izaya leaped onto a nearby street lamp, which in turn helped him to maneuver to the top of a short building. From there, he was able to succeed in getting to his goal; a larger building's rooftop.

Izaya came to a complete stop and sat down on the ground, catching his breath. These sorts of chases never caused him to tire, but it was, in actuality, the adrenaline rushing through his veins, and the way his heart was beating.

Not far from him, a blonde bodyguard stood, having arrived just seconds after. Izaya didn't yet notice that he wasn't alone until he was lying on the ground, arms pinned above his head to the pavement by his own boyfriend.

"So Shizu-chan managed to capture me."

"That I did."

"What is he going to do to me now?"

A wide smirk was his response.

"This."

The blonde leaned down and captured the other's lips with is own, but this time, the kiss was different. Experimentally, Shizuo slipped his tongue out and flicked Izaya's lower lip, causing the brunette to flinch. The bodyguard apologetically continued to kiss him normally, but by then, it was realized what had been attempted. Izaya slowly opened his mouth to slip his own tongue against the other's lips. Shizuo was taken aback by the sudden response, but he gladly carried on by opening his own mouth and meeting his own tongue with the other's. After a few moments of slowly kissing like that, they pulled apart to catch their breath, still remaining only inches apart as they looked into each other's eyes. Shizuo freed his grip on Izaya's arms.

"How was that?"

Golden eyes looked questionably into crimson, which glinted as their owner responded.

"Spectacular." Izaya smiled and brought a hand up around Shizuo's head to pull it down again, so that their lips barely touched.

"I'm going to be selfish right now. I want some more."

He brushed his lips against Shizuo's and parted them, letting the other know what he wanted.

"Hmm...I'll be a little bit selfish too." Shizuo happily complied, deepening the initiated kiss.

They stayed like that for a few more moments before Shizuo rolled off of his boyfriend, lying next to him on the ground, sneaking a hand down to intertwine hands with Izaya.

"Shizu-chan."

"Hmm?"

"This was a great idea."

"Heh. I told you you'd like it." Shizuo gently ran his thumb over the side of Izaya's hand.

"It is something I have, admittedly, missed for a while now."

"Same here."

"We even managed to get away with no property damage." Izaya chuckled softly.

Shizuo joined him in laughter and then sighed.

"That's a first."

The brunette sat up and partially laid on Shizuo's chest, staring at him with amused eyes.

Shizuo raised an eyebrow then smiled, greeting him by cupping the side of his face with his free hand and massaging it gently. The other responded by shutting his eyes and humming contently.

They stayed on the rooftop for the remaining of the hour, having gone from lying on the ground to sitting up and watching the sky as well as the city below. Once it began to get late, they decided to head back down.

"So, how do you want to get back?" Shizuo turned from looking off the rooftop to a yawning Izaya, who was already thinking of ideas on the matter anyway.

"Hmm, I suppose that we could just run back to the city border, then walk the rest of the way like how we arrived." He chuckled and shrugged, rubbing his eyes.

"You aren't too tired to do that?" The blonde asked with a little concern in his voice.

"Ne," The informant walked up to his boyfriend and wrapped both arms around him for a short hug. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't tired. But that doesn't mean that I can't run home." He grinned to assure the other of what he had said.

"Yeah, well," Shizuo scratched the back of his head with one hand and looked to the side. "If you're up for it. I don't mind either way. But I've never seen you tired before, and I'm just a bit worried about you. What if you make a wrong move while jumping to a building...you know..." His eyes flicked back to meet crimson ones.

"Aw Shizu-chan's worried about me..." Izaya smiled and gave him a tighter hug. "Don't worry about me, Shizu-chan. I'm quite indestructible. You of all people would know that." He broke away from the hug and brought a finger to his chin. "But if you're reeaaally that concerned, we could just join the crowd down there and walk back to Shinjuku separately."

Shizuo felt a small amount of guilt for what he had said. He was being a bit paranoid, after all, and this was Izaya he was thinking about. The informant was right; he was indestructible. Or at least difficult to leave a mark on. Yet now, because of the new changes surfacing, Shizuo was beginning to feel more protective over Izaya. He chuckled softly to himself at the thought of how different things were now compared to just months ago. He had gone from wanting to eliminate that man from the face of the planet to wanting to hold him close and destroy anything that tried to harm him. With that mindset, Shizuo decided that he prefered the option of Izaya walking back. He could just stay behind a considerable distance or so, to keep away suspicion.

"I do know that..." Shizuo brought an arm protectively around the other and hugged him quickly with a smile. "Let's head downstairs then. I'll go with you."

"...But people are going to see u-"

"No, I'll stay back a reasonable distance to avoid anything. Besides, we already had our chase today, so we don't need another one anyway." He teased and kissed Izaya's forehead. "Come on, let's take these rooftop stairs."

Izaya nodded and smiled, following the other to the exit.

"Shizu-chan, do you know which building that is across from this one?" Izaya wondered as they started to descend the steps.

"Nah, doesn't really matter, does it?" Shizuo lead the way down and opened another door that lead to another set of stairs.

"I'm just curious is all." The brunette kept silent until they got to the final door, which lead outside the building and onto the main streets of Ikebukuro. "Hmm..." He stepped out first as Shizuo held the door open for him, looking up and going into the sidewalk slightly to get a look at the building across the street. When he saw the name of the building, he froze dead in his tracks. Shizuo closed the door behind them and saw the odd look on his boyfriend's face.

"Izaya...what's the matter?" He walked over and stood beside the other, following his gaze to see what had him temporarily petrified.

"Oh it's...nothing." He shook his head and forced a small smile to Shizuo, who accepted it but still wasn't completely convinced.

"Alright, if you say so." He brought a hand up to brush through Izaya's hair softly, giving him a gentle smile to try and calm him down.

But it would take a lot more to ease Izaya's nerves.

That building was the headquarters of the men responsible for the attempt of harming Kasuka Heiwajima.

"Let's...head home."

Izaya took Shizuo by the wrist and began to pull him towards Shinjuku without any warning, leaving the ex-bartender extremely confused.

"Hey, wait! ...Izaya?"

His companion remained silent the whole walk back. Of course, they did receive many stares from civilians, but Izaya had chosen a route which didn't cross any main streets, so not too many people would see them together. Once they crossed the city borders, Shizuo had already kept up with Izaya's pace, and was now walking beside him as well as the brunette kept his hand firmly gripped around the other's wrist. The bodyguard had long before decided not to ask nor say anything the rest of the way. But to his surprise, Izaya broke the silence as they approached his apartment building.

"Promise me something."

The blonde tilted his head in question. "Izaya?"

"Shizuo, I want you to promise me something." The very fact that his full name was used, and not the nickname, caused Shizuo to freeze. This was something very serious, indeed.

"What is it?" He followed Izaya to the main lobby and watched as the elevator button was pressed, waiting for his boyfriend's response.

The elevator opened with a 'ding' and both stepped inside, another button pressed and the door closing, Izaya keeping his head lowered as he formed his next words.

"If I ever try to push you away, don't believe anything I tell you."

"I...what do you me-"

"Shizuo, please. Just...just promise me this one thing, please."

It didn't take long for them to reach Izaya's floor as they exited the elevator, the door to the informant's apartment promptly opened as a baffled bodyguard followed suit and shut the door behind them.

"Take it as it sounds. I know that it doesn't make any sense right now but, if there is ever a time that I deny you, or that I force you to go for any reason ever...don't believe what I say, no matter what I say. I won't even mean any of it. You..."

He sat on the couch and Shizuo slipped his shoes off, walking over with a concerned look on his face.

"You're a very important person in my life now. In fact, you are the most important."

A sad smile grew on Izaya's face.

"Heh...you've always been the most important person. No matter what my feelings and thoughts were about you, whether they were negative or positive...you've somehow managed to remain the one person that I...I..." He grew silent.

Without a word, Shizuo crouched down and gently placed his fingers under Izaya's chin to force him to look up. Slowly, he closed the distance between them by placing a soft kiss on the other's lips, cupping the side of his face then pressing their foreheads together.

"I promise."

Izaya gave him a small smile. "I'd never ever push you away, Shizuo. Remember that."

"I will always keep that in mind." The blonde kissed him again. "No matter what."

There was a small silence as the brunette threw both arms around his boyfriend, causing Shizuo to flinch in surprise, then embrace him with open arms.

"Thank you, Shizu-chan."

* * *

><p><strong>So I wanted to take this opportunity to apologize from the bottom of my heart. <strong>

**w**

**I've been busy with school and it's literally causing me to have writing blocks and stress. But since I only have one more week left, I was able to fit in some typing! I honestly had no idea whether I wanted to keep the original ideas I had, but I got a spark of inspiration thanks to getting more sleep as well as roleplaying. I felt confident enough to continue writing, plus I got even more ideas for the rest of the story. I'm so happy. **

**OwO**

**Anyways, thank you for being a loyal reader, and reviews are always loved~**


	15. Chapter 15

**_Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita._**

* * *

><p>Lately, Shizuo had begun to wonder about Izaya's suddenly odd behavior. It had all started after they had their chase, and Izaya had started to act somewhat...paranoid? Fearful? Shizuo couldn't think of the best way to describe his boyfriend's behavior, but that was as close as he could think to call it.<p>

"Izaya?"

There was a sound of paper scattering on the wooden floor, causing Shizuo to look up from the television in alarm. He glanced over to the informant's desk, seeing the paper all in front of it, the owner of the desk turned away towards his window, only the back of the swivel chair could be seen. Shizuo turned the volume down on the show, not having cared much for it anyway in the first place. He stood up, walking over to the desk, and started to pick up the papers. As he did, he caught glimpses of photocopied images of movie posters, some premiere dates, as well as the name Yuuhei Hanejima, his brother's screen name.

_'Hmm, these must be what Izaya had used to help Kasuka...'_

After all of the paper was picked up, Shizuo set it neatly on Izaya's desk, standing up straight to walk over to who was behind the chair, to see Izaya.

"Hey, Izaya? You okay?"

What greeted him was a rather concentrated looking face, deep in thought, or so it appeared. Izaya was a master at masking his inner emotions, as Shizuo knew.

Seconds later, the brunette looked up with a small and questionable smile, as if nothing was on his mind.

"Ah, hello..."

His smile widened as he stood up to bring his arms around the other. Shizuo was taken aback, but he smiled back anyway, and swiftly returned the embrace.

"Are you alright? Everything okay?"

He tried asking, still sensing that something was off. After all, someone who was alright wouldn't intentionally drop his paperwork on the floor. Shizuo knew that it wasn't an accident.

"...Fine. Everything's fine."

Izaya answered with a strong hint of hesitation. Sure, his words were convincing. But it was how long he had taken to answer that gave it away. Knowing how Izaya was, Shizuo pretended to believe it.

"Alright...if you're sure..."

He gently ran a hand up and down his boyfriend's back, resisting the urge to press into the matter further by asking questions regarding what was on the papers, and why Izaya had pushed them off of his desk.

"...Those papers...you probably saw what was on them..."

Shizuo froze for a moment, then nodded, feeling no point in denying it.

"Yeah, I did."

"I hope that you didn't get the wrong idea from them-"

"No, not at all."

Izaya was admittedly surprised. "Really? I thought you would've assumed they were for...other reasons." Even though they were dating now, Izaya was still fearful of Shizuo going back to assuming the worst of anything he saw when the brunette was involved. It hadn't actually happened, at all. But still, Izaya couldn't help this concern based on their history together. He wanted both of them to only focus on the present and their future, the past, they mutually agreed, being irrelevant to now.

"No. I know that you helped Kasuka. Those premiere times-" Shizuo held up one of the pieces of paper with said movie showings. "-were to tell you when those men who were after him might strike, as well as to help you know when he'd be in town."

Izaya was silent for a moment...that same, uneasy silence that he'd been having lately.

"Well, aren't you insightful..."

He mused with an impressed smile, catching Shizuo off-guard after how he had just acted before.

"Izaya?"

"Hm?"

"...Ah...never mind."

Izaya tilted his head. "...Alright?"

The blonde frowned slightly. "Sorry."

"Shizu-chan...is there something that you wanted to tell me?"

"No, I forgot what I was gonna say."

Izaya raised an eyebrow. "...If you say so."

"I do..."

The informant couldn't help but think that this conversation was a bit weird, as if both of them were hiding something from the other. Unfortunately, that was actually very true, for each of them.

"Shizu-chan, you work in a couple of days, right?"

"...You know that I do. Why?"

Izaya smiled up at him. "Well, I was thinking that we could go out and do something. It could be anywhere..."

He nodded as if he had been planning the idea for a while. Shizuo stared down at him, curious as to why he had the sudden mood change, but happy nonetheless, smiling back at him. "Sure...I'd love to. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, Kasuka has that new movie out right now."

The blonde perked up at the mention of his younger brother. "I know. It came out like a month ago, though. So it's not exactly 'new'."

Izaya chuckled. "It's new enough."

He smiled up at the other. "Do you want to go see it?"

"Of course. I get to see my little brother in a movie, and be with you."

Izaya smiled wide at this and nodded his head. "Alright. How about tomorrow night, then dinner?"

The bodyguard chuckled. "That sounds great. It's a date, then."

His boyfriend smiled again and then sat back down in his swivel chair, starting to type something up onto his computer. Shizuo decided to lean over and rest his chin on Izaya's shoulder as he typed. The blonde grinned, wondering if this was annoying the informant or not. His suspicions were confirmed when Izaya let out a short sigh, hinting at his slight irritation. However, it wasn't Shizuo that was bothering him. He quite liked having the blonde's head there, making it known by leaning his own head against his. Shizuo was a bit surprised at first, but he smiled after it happened. Curiously, Shizuo looked at the screen, seeing that his boyfriend was typing out an email to a client. Something regarding a runaway son, suspected to have eloped with some girl who was the daughter of a wealthy family. Izaya was replying, stating that he would locate any clues about where they were, but also adding that the couple was probably already married. Shizuo didn't feel entirely right about reading the email, but Izaya didn't seem to mind him being there. In fact, he seemed to know that the email was being read from his shoulder, further explaining it to the blonde.

"This man is the father of this guy who ran away to marry some woman. He wants to stop their union, but...I think that at this point, they're probably married and in some other city...maybe even another country."

Shizuo smiled, glad that Izaya was sharing this with him. It made him happy to know that the brunette was willing to share information about his work.

"Ah...so what are you telling him you'll do?"

Izaya chuckled. "Well, I said that I would try to locate their whereabouts, but again, it's pretty much pointless now. After all, he's a little late... His son supposedly ran away a month ago, and this man is just now requesting help..." He sighed in slight annoyance.

The blond put one hand up to rest on Izaya's opposite shoulder, which was not currently occupied by Shizuo's chin, and began rubbing it gently.

"Mm...well, maybe you should tell him that?"

"...Tell him what? That it's stupid to request his whereabouts now?"

Shizuo shook his head. "No, I mean that you should tell this man that stopping the union is pointless now, since they're probably married already. He only wanted to know their location before any possible union, right?"

"...Ah, well, I could do that, it would save the trouble of actually tracking down this couple."

"Mhm..." The bodyguard nodded with a knowing smile.

"Alright, that's what I'll do..." Izaya erased that he would find out where the couple was, and replaced it, saying that if they eloped, they were long wed by now. After typing a bit more and saying that he would still help if the man wanted it, even knowing he probably was too late with his attempts to stop the union, he sent the response and clicked out of his email.

"Okay...it's done."

He smiled and rubbed his head affectionately against his companion's, who in turn removed his head from the other's shoulder, wasting no time to spin the swivel chair so that Izaya was facing him. Shizuo smiled at his boyfriend, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his cheek. Izaya smiled back, holding his arms out to the other, who got the silent message, wrapping his arms protectively around the smaller's waist. Izaya stood up, bringing his arms around Shizuo's shoulders, keeping him close. The brunette sighed to himself, closing his eyes and relaxing.

"Izaya..."

A gentle hand was moved up and down the informant's back, causing him to suddenly realize his exhaustion which had been building. He began breathing in and out quietly. The bodyguard blinked, his boyfriend's body weight suddenly heavier as it's owner became limp.

"...Izaya?"

Shizuo carefully pulled back, keeping both arms around the other's body to support him, seeing that he had fallen asleep.

"...What are you doing lately that makes you so tired?"

He sighed and brought one arm down under Izaya's knees, the other under his back, lifting him up with ease and carrying him up the stairs to his bedroom. Once Shizuo got there, he carefully laid the sleeping brunette down onto his bed, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead and pulling the covers up to tuck him in. Then Shizuo, finding that he was feeling rather tired himself, and not knowing what else to do, laid beside Izaya on top of the covers, that being the only barrier between them. The blonde was content with just watching Izaya...his Izaya, finding him beautiful as he slept. But even though Izaya was now getting his rest, Shizuo couldn't help but worry...

* * *

><p>Footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, their owner's steps striding in short steps as he walked. The tall auburn-haired man mumbled to himself, reading each door number as he walked by. That is, until he came to a stop at one particular door, a wide smirk on his face.<p>

"...37."

He reached out a hand to turn the knob, strolling into the room, the door shutting behind him. The man walked over to a seat in front of a wide white desk, letting out an exaggerated sigh when he saw that there was no one there.

"...Idiot..."

He mumbled again, this time a bit louder. Not a moment later, a door opened on the opposite side of the room, another man walking in with an annoyed expression on his face. The darker brunette took a seat on the other side of the desk, staring back at his companion lazily.

"...About time you show up. I get here promptly at the time you specify, and you ain't sitting there."

"...Shuddup."

The shorter man let out a short yawn. Obviously, he had been sleeping just moments ago, his companion noticed. He sighed quickly, deciding to get on with business.

"...So, that informant screwed us over. What are you gonna do about it?"

Bright green eyes narrowed towards the other man.

"What am I going to do about it? No no no, this problem is ours. Not mine alone."

Dark grey eyes returned the glare from the other, the taller man getting irritated.

"That other guy you sent out is in the hospital right now. He had a run in with that guy in bartender getup, and it didn't end pretty. Now he refuses to join back up 'cause he's scared. So it's just you and me." He stood up, crossing his arms and went over to lean against the desk.

"You're in charge of all of this. And, you're lucky that someone is still being loyal, Nisake."

"...Yes, well. That Hanejima guy pisses me off. I just wanted him out of the scene for a while, so I have some better chances at those roles. Is that so much to ask, Rikai?"

Rikai sighed lightly, eyes flicking to the side, then back to his companion.

"...If it will make you happy to have him out of the way, then we can try something else...but I don't think that killing him is necessary."

A long silence was his reply, Nisake, standing up as well and turning to face the window. He continued the silence for another moment or so, before he finally did speak.

"...I don't want blood on my hands, you know. I just wanted him out of the way. Perhaps that man who we sent over to the informant didn't understand my intentions...or what I had explained to him. Sure, the possibility of us harming Hanejima would keep him in hiding for a while, but not knowing where he is for certain would be the issue. I have to be sure that he can't get in the way..."

The auburn-haired man frowned a bit at this, not exactly fond of how his old friend was acting. He had gone along with everything that Nisake had done so far, but he was starting to think that perhaps it was time to stop. He only wanted what was best for his long-time friend, and if getting these acting jobs would make him content, then so be it. He would work with him until he succeeded. However even though he did want to help him succeed, he only wanted to in a way that wouldn't come back to haunt him later on in life. They were already to the point that they could go to jail if they tried anything else and were caught. Another person who had worked with them on this whole plan was behind bars already, for straying from the original plan and getting caught trying to break into Hanejima's home. Luckily, he was only temporary, and was bound to go to jail for similar past crimes. He didn't even have their real names, so he couldn't tell the authorities and betray them.

"...I know that you don't. Which is why I've been thinking..."

Rikai didn't know what to say. He didn't want their safety to be in jeopardy any longer, but he knew that if he tries to counter Nisake's plan with an alternative, Nisake might not accept it so easily. He was that way, always one to be quite stubborn, after all.

"...What is it?..."

His friend didn't turn to look at him, remaining still. Rikai frowned, standing up straight and walking around the desk a bit, keeping a safe distance and looking out the window as well. There wasn't really anything that interesting out there, so perhaps Nisake was pretending to look out there out of habit. Either that, or he was trying to avoid having to face his companion. Rikai was honestly pleased that he at least was willing to listen this time.

"...Nisake...maybe instead of getting rid of that Hanejima guy...you could just avoid him all together. Why go to all of this trouble, when you're just as good of an actor as he is, and could get other jobs-"

"Rikai."

There was a stern tone in the other man's voice, making the lighter brunette freeze in place. Hearing that sort of voice from his friend was a signal that he shouldn't say any more until he was certain that a response was wanted. In the meantime, Nisake spoke.

"...You flatter me... But anyway, that's just it. Almost every part I go for, Hanejima is always the lead pick. They don't even take me into consideration..."

The lighter-haired man simply stared, wondering if Nisake had any more to say. When it was obvious that he was finished speaking, Rikai took his next action. He walked over, reaching out hesitantly at first, before putting a gentle hand on the other's shoulder. The shorter man tensed, but then he relaxed soon after.

"...There must be something else we could try first. A safer alternative, maybe?"

Rikai spoke his opinion, hoping that just this once, his companion wouldn't be so stubborn, and would listen to what he had to say. He really didn't want his friend to go to jail for attempts of kidnapping. His words seemed to get through to the other as Nisake turned his head, his face now softened.

"...I...think that...you're right..." He sighed heavily, glancing out the window one last time before walking away, carefully brushing the hand off of his shoulder. He took a seat at the desk once again, and Rikai did the same, walking around the desk to the other side before taking a seat as well.

"...So then...what do you suggest?"

* * *

><p><strong>...Hello everyone! <strong>

**^o^;**

**Well, I've finally updated...**

**I'm still in school but it's less stressful now. However, I was still suffering a large writer's block for the longest time... But after sitting down and thinking of ideas... Look! I was able to write again!**

**I want to point out if you haven't noticed already, that there are two OCs in this story now. If you are confused by them, I will describe them to you: **

**Rikai has auburn-colored hair and grey eyes. Nisake has dark-brown hair and green eyes... **

**Their purpose is already explained in this chapter...obviously. **

**XD**

**I will stop rambling now.**

**Thank you very, very much for staying with me, and as always, reviews are loved~**


	16. Chapter 16

**_Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita._**

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><p><em>"So then, what do you suggest?"<em>

It was almost surreal. Nisake was willing to actually listen to advice...from Rikai? He was baffled, to say the least, but at the same time, he was quite pleased. Yes, there was much that he wanted to say.

He hated to see his old friend like this. They had known each other for years, and Rikai knew of Nisake's selfish nature. But as soon as he had gotten into professional acting and called for huge roles, it only got worse.

However, he didn't expect Nisake to take it this far.

Sure, this Hanejima guy may have beaten him out of other roles, but Rikai was a sensible guy. He could see other people's perspectives on the matter. It wasn't Hanejima's fault, so Rikai never felt right about Nisake trying to 'get rid of him'. Although, he had never intended for the young actor to get killed, but the other guy that had been sent out to take care of it had other ideas. In the end, that got them into trouble.

Then, there was that informant guy. Even though Nisake had told Rikai to send a man to take care of it, Rikai had actually been the one to go, asking about making Yuhei disappear. But it wasn't like he wanted to do it...at least, not for the same reasons Nisake wanted it done for.

The only reason that he did do it, was simply because Nisake wished it to be done. If he asked him to assassinate someone, he would do it without a second thought. If he asked him to die for him...well, he wouldn't want to think about that ever happening. But even so, he knew that he probably would do as was requested. Nisake was sometimes a very unreasonable and irresponsible person, but Rikai didn't care. He would always loyally serve Nisake, no matter what.

"...I think that...we need to reconsider how we've been going about this."

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><p>Shizuo first began to notice the changes in Izaya when he had been taking more and more 'naps'. He would call him during the day during work breaks, and sometimes, no one would pick up. That had been odd. Izaya always answered his phone, especially if it was Shizuo calling.<p>

At first, Shizuo didn't make a big deal out of it. But then, the 'naps' increased, to the point that Izaya would miss his calls entirely. After it had been going on for a couple of weeks, Shizuo decided that something had to be done. Of course, Shizuo would visit Izaya practically every day, regardless if anyone answered the phone or not. But still, he couldn't let himself just stand by and watch his Izaya slowly deteriorate like this.

"...Izaya..."

Shizuo was sitting beside the brunette on the couch, watching something that neither of them really had any interest in. But it was to pass the time before they went on another outing. Izaya was resting his head against the blonde's chest, and Shizuo was keeping a sharp eye on him. He had dozed off a couple of times, which was very suspicious. Even right now, it was a bit too quiet...

"...Izaya?"

"...Mn..."

The man in question slowly turned his head, tiredly, facing Shizuo and confirming his suspicions.

"...You feel asleep again, didn't you."

He didn't even have to ask to know it was true. Izaya just blinked tiredly, then went back to weakly laying against him. Shizuo let out a short sigh, running his fingers through the other's hair gently.

"...You know...I've been noticing something lately..."

No response.

"...How much rest did you get last night? ...Izaya?"

Still no response. Shizuo frowned, putting his hands around Izaya's back and shoulders, turning him gently so that he was facing him. Just as he thought, he had drifted off again, his eyes slowly opening upon having been moved. With another sigh, Shizuo pulled his boyfriend into an embrace, burying his face in Izaya's neck.

"...Shizuo..."

There was something wrong with how Izaya had said his name. The way that he had said it was somehow...off.

Shizuo began to rub the other's back, soothingly, only able to hope that the simple action would encourage Izaya to keep talking. That is, if it didn't make him even more tired.

"...Yes, Izaya?"

He spoke softly, nuzzling his companion's neck and only holding him more tightly.

"...I haven't been...getting any sleep at night..."

Ah...it was worse than Shizuo had thought. It was one thing to only get some rest, but not getting any sleep at all? This only intensified Shizuo's concern.

"...Shizuo...I...I have something to tell you..."

He went on, his voice sounding almost shaky. As Shizuo continued to hold the other, he noticed that Izaya was, indeed, trembling.

"...Woah woah...Izaya? What's the matter?"

Pulling away only slightly so that he could look at his face, Shizuo noticed something that he had never before seen in Izaya's eyes. Something that he never even thought he would ever see. It was fear.

"...Shizuo...I think that someone's been...stalking me..."

The bodyguard's eyes widened at this.

"...Stalking you? How the hell is that even possible?"

He couldn't help but be curious about that. Izaya was the best informant around here, and on top of that, he was sort of more suitable as the one to do stalking. But someone was actually stalking him? If someone had somehow managed to do that, then Shizuo didn't blame Izaya for being afraid. Someone had basically outsmarted him, and he didn't know what they wanted. That in itself would scare anyone.

"...I don't even know... I only get chances to get some rest when my secretary is here. I've put off meetings with clients and most work, so I'm only really keeping her around to make sure there's nothing to worry about. But...when you come over, that's the only time I really feel safest..."

It took much of Shizuo's willpower to keep the pending anger building inside of him from bursting out. Just who the hell was causing Izaya to live in fear like this?

Izaya shifted positions so that he was sitting more in Shizuo's lap, and he kept his arms around the blonde's neck, staying close. All that Shizuo could do was hold Izaya, silently letting him know that he would be alright...that he would never let him go and would keep him safe.

If Shizuo had to admit one thing to himself, it was that he was quite glad that Izaya had finally told him the reason for all of this...the reason why he had been so tired, and not as full of energy like he had been. Letting his head drop so that his forehead was resting on the other's shoulder, Shizuo spoke quietly against his boyfriend's warm neck.

"...Izaya... Thank you... Thank you for telling me..."

The brunette sighed quietly, threading his fingers through golden-blonde hair affectionately. He didn't know what to say. In actuality, there was more to this whole situation than Izaya had revealed to his companion. But, he was keeping quiet about it. He didn't want to drag him into this any further than he already had been.

The first incident had involved none other than Kasuka Heiwajima, better known as Yuhei Hanejima. All of that had been resolved for a couple of months now. Or so Izaya thought.

It began with simple threats, sent by email. Izaya originally dismissed them, because an email threat was harmless for one of the most powerful informants in Japan. However, as the weeks went on, the emails stopped, and were replaced with envelopes left in his mailbox in the lobby of the apartment building. Inside the envelopes were simple cards with more small threats. Again, Izaya didn't concern himself with these.

But it all changed once Shizuo and Izaya had a run-in with that man near the alleyway. Shizuo had thrown him pretty far, and last Izaya heard, he was now behind bars. At first, Izaya thought that all of the threats would stop coming, but he was very wrong. They got even worse. The envelopes were no longer left in his mailbox, and instead, they were slid under his door. Soon after, he even got phone calls from an unknown number. Being an informant, naturally, he traced the call with no problem. But it wasn't that simple. The unknown number was coming from the very building of the headquarters for the main guys in charge of this whole mess. Aside from that, he was pretty certain that there might be someone hanging around his apartment building, as well...

Again, Izaya was more than capable of getting out of all of this. He would have been freed from this long ago if it weren't for one thing... This time, they threatened to harm Shizuo.

Shizuo had super human strength. Yes, that was true. But it wasn't exactly impossible to immobilize him and possibly succeed in destroying him forever. Izaya knew that Shizuo did have some weaknesses, and he wasn't about to let those weaknesses be used against the fortissimo, ultimately leading to his end.

Izaya had never actually wanted Shizuo to die. He had been intrigued enough to test out if it was possible or not on more than one occasion, but after having it confirmed each time that he wasn't even capable of success, he gave up. However, that was all very well a lie. He never actually tried hard enough, because he couldn't bring himself to actually do it. Izaya had done quite a few manipulative deeds in his lifetime, but not once had he ever commit murder. He wasn't low enough to do that.

So, even though he had once claimed to have a wish of death upon the very man who was now the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, he realized that he never put his all into his 'attempts'.

Thinking back to all of that, Izaya felt completely foolish. Looking at how they were now, he wished that this...their happiness together...had happened to them sooner. He did regret his past actions, but... Perhaps, without the past's events, this future wouldn't exist. So in a way, without their rough and violent history, Shizuo wouldn't be his, and he wouldn't be Shizuo's. It was difficult to imagine life in any other way at this point.

"...Shizuo..."

Izaya indulged in being held, breathing in the other's scent and feeling instantly calmed. He was likely going to fall asleep again at some point, especially because of the blonde's ministrations on his back, along with his gentle words.

"...Izaya... Don't fall asleep on me, okay?"

Shizuo had a hint of teasing in his voice, but he still kept on holding the brunette. He was trying his hardest not to think much about this whole stalker situation, but it was pretty difficult considering that the one person he cared most about was the one being threatened. Yet still, he needed to stay calm...for Izaya's sake.

The whole time, Shizuo had been trying to keep Izaya from falling asleep. But now that he knew what was keeping him from getting adequate sleep, he realized that it was important for him to try and get some rest. Even if Izaya was going to reject what Shizuo was about to offer, he was going to push it onto him until he gave in to his demand.

"...Izaya,"

Shizuo whispered into the other's ear, softly. He was being cautious, just in case this supposed stalker was listening in right now.

"...I have an idea. How about you...stay at my place for a while? Until we can get rid of this problem..."

As soon as he asked, he started to feel a bit worried about what Izaya's response might be. They had been dating a while now, and from what Shizuo was implying, he and his boyfriend would be living together for the duration of however long solving all of this would take. Shizuo had slept over once or twice at Izaya's, those times when Izaya had first had this sleeping trouble. But actually staying over long periods of time would be another step in their relationship. Shizuo was quite alright with the idea, but he still was dreading a negative answer from Izaya.

The informant was silent for a long moment. Shizuo was still holding him and couldn't exactly see his face...and he was about to assume that he had fallen asleep again. Either that, or Shizuo's fear of him turning down the offer were fresh in his mind.

But then, Izaya lifted his head, the expression on his face completely unexpected. He was smiling softly, and there was a look in his eyes that said more than could be put into words. Shizuo could tell almost immediately what they said. It was almost like Izaya was silently saying 'Thank you'.

"...Would you really...do that for me?"

He held on tighter to the other, nuzzling his face into Shizuo's neck.

"...Shizuo...if you're willing to let me...then yes, I'd love to..."

He sighed softly, not moving from his current position at all, just content with being in his Shizuo's arms. He figured that he could use a break from this huge apartment, and the stress of worrying about some stalker. Aside from that, these people couldn't know where Shizuo lived, so it was a logical idea to agree with.

The next couple of hours, Shizuo was up in Izaya's room to help him pack. His job was mainly to make sure that Izaya didn't fall asleep, especially since there was a bed in that room. After both had succeeded with their tasks, Izaya zipped up his suitcase. It was decided that he would be staying for at least a week. Or longer, if need be. Izaya had been to Shizuo's apartment, but barely, and he had never stayed over before. So, Shizuo insisted that Izaya staying as long as they planned was only fair, to make up for all of the time he, in turn, spent at the other's apartment. Izaya thought this to be quite silly of the blonde, but if Shizuo wanted him there, then he didn't mind it at all.

* * *

><p>They decided to leave as soon as possible. If Izaya's alleged stalker was planning to spy on him again that very night, then they would be out of Shinjuku long before then. The last thing Shizuo wanted right now was for Izaya to go another restless night.<p>

Much to Shizuo's persistence, they took the subway this time. Izaya claimed that he would be completely alright with walking to Ikebukuro, as they always had. However, Shizuo would have none of it, especially knowing Izaya's current state.

Fifteen minutes later, they had made it to their destination. Shizuo stepped out, taking Izaya's hand into his, as well as the luggage with the other. Stealing a few more glances at the other to make sure he was alright, Shizuo smiled once it was confirmed, gently leading Izaya towards his place. They were both in casual attire so they weren't particularly concerned with getting any stares from people.

Izaya watched Shizuo from behind and allowed himself to gradually go off into his own thoughts. They had been together a few months now, and it was just now occurring to Izaya that their current relationship was actually quite secretive. They had been hiding it from the general public, for obvious reasons. However, even the people they were closest to didn't know about it.

_'...Hm... Maybe I should bring it up. I don't think that this is exactly something we could keep hidden forever...'_

After all, there were quite a few people who were bound to figure it out sooner or later. Both Izaya and Shizuo had kept it secret, but in actuality, neither of them would mind if just a few people knew. However, unbeknownst to Izaya, Shizuo had already accidentally let it slip to a certain Black Rider...

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><p><strong>"WHAT?!"<strong>

Celty's hand was shaking as she held up the phone in Shizuo's face, before she quickly retracted it and typed again, repeating the same exact actions.

**"You and him?! Izaya?"**

Shizuo put a hand through his hair, grinning awkwardly. Of all things he talked to Celty about, he just had to let out a secret that he and Izaya had been keeping from the rest of the world.

It happened when he had mentioned seeing Kasuka's new movie, and to him, naturally, he said who he went with. Although, it wasn't everyday that he went anywhere with anyone...to anyone else's knowledge, that is. Obviously, he had been going places with Izaya. But after the name of said informant came out of his mouth, he froze in place, watching the dullahan as she reacted now before him.

"...Uh...yeah. Me and him."

Celty frantically typed some more.

**"So I guess that's a good thing...that you two are getting along now?"**

She phrased it as a question, before Shizuo just sighed. Celty was his best friend, so there was no harm in telling her the truth. He didn't even care if she told Shinra. The underground doctor had sort of predicted his and Izaya's possible future together, whether he had been serious about it or not. Decision made to tell her the truth, Shizuo nodded.

"We're...uhh... We're actually sort of...together...now..."

Well, that shouldn't have been so strange for Shizuo to admit. He was quite happy with his relationship, but then again, this was the first time he had actually told someone about it. Reality hit him right then and there. He was dating Izaya Orihara, and he didn't remember the last time he had been so happy. In actuality, it was something that he had always wanted...or rather, something to counter what he didn't want. What he didn't want was to be alone. He and Izaya both had that in common, and it didn't take long for either of them to figure it out, let alone admit it to each other.

Celty didn't move for some time. It was almost like she had turned into a statue, she was so still. Shizuo wondered if he should be concerned, especially because he knew what kind of news he had just given to her. He was about to say something else, but then his companion finally reacted, typing up something else. She seemed hesitant at first, typing slower than Shizuo had ever seen her type. But then, she was finally done, showing him her screen.

**"I see..."**

Shizuo frowned at this. She had taken a while to write only that? Maybe he really shouldn't have let that detail of Izaya and him together slip out...

"...Uh...Celty... Just forget I said anything. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable or something-"

Celty quickly shoved the screen in his face.

**"No!"**

Shizuo could have sworn that he could almost hear her yell that by how she chose to display it. He sighed, nodding and watching her type at a normal pace again.

**"I'm the one who should be sorry, for how I reacted. It's just that...it's going to take some getting used to. You seem way more calm and even happier than you ever have been, so, even if it's him... I wish you guys luck."**

Shizuo could tell she was being sincere about it, but he still felt a bit bad about giving her a small shock. He was used to being with Izaya, so he'd forgotten how others might respond to hearing about their relationship. He figured he should be more weary about it in the future.

**"Well, I'd be lying if I said I haven't considered you two as a possibility."**

Shizuo blinked when he read the new message. Well then, maybe it wasn't all that much of a shock...

"...You...you have?"

Celty nodded her 'head', or rather, her helmet.

**"It's Shinra's doing. He's insisted quite a few times that something could happen, and at first I pushed the thought out. But as the years went by, I couldn't help thinking that he might be on to something. Now, here you are, telling me that he was right. Shinra's an idiot sometimes, but he's still got a good intuition about these sorts of things."**

The blonde couldn't help smirking at this. He knew that Shinra thought that way about him and Izaya at one point in time, but he had no idea that it was an ongoing idea. Perhaps he'd ask Izaya about it later, since he might know something about this.

* * *

><p>Izaya was absolutely dumbstruck.<p>

Shizuo was starting to wonder if he should have told his boyfriend what he had done at all... The expression on the brunette's face was making Shizuo feel a bit uneasy.

"...Celty... She knows, then..."

The blonde let out a small breath, watching the other's face relax. Huh, maybe everything was alright. He saw a soft smile replace Izaya's features, although, this surprised Shizuo slightly.

"I'm actually glad that you already told her. I don't know how I would ever be able to tell her myself...and, well... How did she take it?"

He leaned forward in his seat, propping his elbow on the table and resting his chin on his hand, waiting for Shizuo to respond with much eagerness apparent in his eyes. Shizuo, in turn, chuckled lightly at this, wondering why on earth he had doubted his companion's reaction to this for even a second. Izaya trusted Celty as well as Shinra, plus, they worked together on occasion. There was no way that he would be against her knowing the truth about him and Shizuo now.

Izaya was the last person that most people would ever trust, however, it was obviously very different for Shizuo. Over the time they had spent together, especially the very thing that had started all of this, their bond had only gotten stronger. With that bond, a foundation of trust had been built the very first time they chose to abandon their old ways and move on towards a better life with each other. It was so unexpected...especially what they had become to one another. But Shizuo wouldn't have it any other way.

"Well, she was pretty shocked about it. But then, she warmed up to the idea. Oh yeah, she mentioned something about Shinra having 'predicted' this or something. Do you know anything about that?"

Izaya only chuckled, eyes flicking to the side then back to meet the gaze of the other.

"I might know something..."

He smirked playfully, sipping from his water glass before his focus went back onto a waiting Shizuo. The blonde was being surprisingly patient, but he had developed that ability over the past couple months with Izaya. It seemed that their new relationship had been better for each of them individually, as well.

"In middle school, Shinra knew both of us, although you and I never met until...well, that day in high school. He had sort of joked about that possibility to me, and he would talk about how incredible you were...quite often, I might add."

Shizuo grinned at this, then he interjected.

"Hey, you thought I was a girl up until we met, didn't you? That's why you called me that nickname...and you even still call me-"

"Shizu-chan~"

Izaya smirked even wider, liking the sound of the nickname from his own lips. Shizuo blinked and then rolled his eyes lightly, Izaya taking that gesture as a sign to continue with his story.

"As I was saying, I sort of developed a...shall we say, an interest in you before we even met."

Shizuo smirked at a sudden thought. He knew what Izaya really meant by that.

_'So he had a little crush on me before he met me, huh? Cute.'_

"...Shinra saw my fascination, and he took it as something useful in his newly created theory. The day we finally did meet...even though it wasn't exactly the most preferred of first-time meetings, Shinra was still strong with his theory. I started to doubt him and thought it was stupid...because of what we were... But look at us now..."

He smiled, playing with the cup in his hands.

"So I guess he was right... I thought that over these years, he'd abandon that idea. But he didn't... Heh, I wonder how we should tell him?"

He looked over at Shizuo for some sort of feedback, only to see that Shizuo's head was lowered.

"...Shizu-chan?"

Izaya asked with some concern, reaching out to touch him. However, before he knew it, the bodyguard had moved fast, throwing both arms around the informant and pulling him into a secure embrace. Izaya froze for a short moment, before he relaxed and returned it with little hesitation.

"...Shizuo..."

He sighed softly, moving fingers through the blonde hair gently.

"...What is it?"

Izaya asked in a gentle tone of voice, sensing that there was obviously something bothering his companion.

"...Sorry... It's just, when you brought up the past... The bad part of it...I can't really imagine us like that anymore... When I do think about it, I just...I don't like thinking about it."

Shizuo kept his face pressed against the soft skin of Izaya's neck, taking comfort in the brunette's relaxing ministrations.

"...So our past disappoints you..."

Izaya guessed with a small sigh. Of course, he too was not fond of what they used to be. But he had to also keep reminding himself that without that history together, they wouldn't be where they were now. Their current relationship went on to prove that the seemingly impossible could become possible, and they had overcome the obstacles and hardships that many years had to offer.

"...Yeah...sort of..."

Shizuo finally answered, staying put with seemingly no intention of moving off of Izaya anytime soon.

"...I know what you mean... I feel the same way."

The informant finally admitted, resting his chin atop the other's head.

"But then I remember that we wouldn't be like this now if the past never happened. Who knows, if we had become friends the very first meeting, would it ever have escalated to more than that?"

Izaya didn't feel like this was something to be argued, but the blonde still seemed set on finding some sort of closure. It wasn't like they could just turn back time to test out this thought, but Izaya finally decided that he'd let Shizuo talk it out with him until they both felt better about it.

Now it was Shizuo's turn to sigh.

"...That's true, but... We kind of became friends for a while after everything that happened with Kasuka, and we ended up here. I mean, it's possible, right?"

There really was no point in debating it. The past was the past, and Izaya wouldn't have the course of events any other way. All that mattered now was the present, and Izaya just wished that Shizuo would be happy with how things turned out. He knew that Shizuo was happy...but right now, he was still dreading the past.

"...I suppose that it is possible... If fate meant for us to be together now, then it may have happened even then."

Izaya spoke, not denying the possibility, but not wanting to encourage anymore deep thought about it, either.

"Even so, we can finally move on now. That was our past, and we've changed our future for the better."

Scarlet eyes bore into mocha, the brunette silently hoping that Shizuo would just drop it.

He got his wish not a moment later.

"...You're right. We can move on..."

Smiling in relief, Izaya brushed his fingers through the blonde hair a bit more, going back to resting his head on the bodyguard's. However, what he hadn't expected was to be lifted up without warning. He blinked, struggling for a short moment before he realized what was going on. Shizuo carried his boyfriend towards another small room, and upon entering, Izaya saw that it was his bedroom. At first, the most perverted of thoughts came to mind. They hadn't done anything like that yet, and if Shizuo was wanting to do those types of things now...well, the more Izaya thought about it, he didn't think he would have any objections to it.

He was gently placed onto the bed, Shizuo moving next to him and instantly pulling him close.

"...Time for sleep."

There was a muffled sigh from Izaya as his face was pressed against the other's chest. It was confirmed that his previous thoughts were incorrect. In a way, he was glad that he had been wrong... They didn't need to rush anything in their relationship. As Izaya thought less about it and more about the current situation, Shizuo was the one this time to run his fingers through the other's hair.

"...Shizu-chan?"

The smaller man asked quietly, allowing himself to relax as the blonde continued.

"...Hm?"

"...Ah...I think that...I can finally rest now..."

Smiling softly, Shizuo leaned down to press a gentle kiss to Izaya's forehead.

"Good. I'm happy to hear that."

Izaya had never felt more safe in these past weeks than he did right now. With a smile, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to be claimed by the call of sleep.

It wasn't long before the both of them fell into a peaceful slumber, remaining in each other's arms.

* * *

><p><strong>...Poor Izaya. <strong>

**:'(**

**Shizuo will do his best to make sure that Izaya's safe from now on.**

**...Sorry again for the late updates. It's the same reason it's always been...writer's block, school, and working on cosplays now. **

**...Thank you for sticking around... **As I always say**, reviews are loved~**


	17. Chapter 17

_**Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita.**_

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><p>The heart of Ikebukuro was always lively, streets filled with people walking around, and cars driving by. Even at night, the city became much more inviting for those who might venture in, especially with how the lights illuminated the tall buildings. It was always like that...in the main part of Ikebukuro, that is.<p>

Shinjuku was not any different. It's nightlife was just as vast, with just as much to offer as it's neighboring city. Away from the business districts, the town flooded with people to experience what was offered.  
>However, for anyone who might be on their own, wanting to be away from all of that nightlife, walking around the deserted streets was probably not as pleasant as it might have otherwise been.<p>

Tonight, something seemed a bit...off.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

A dark figure emerged from the darkness behind a wall, making its way to the front of a certain apartment building. The figure looked up to a particular set of windows, seeking out something. Or rather, someone.  
>It kept on looking and waiting, but eventually, it found nothing. Still, it kept on standing there, watching...hoping to get a glimpse of it's target.<br>Little did it know that who it had been seeking out was no longer in the building. In fact, what it was looking for-who it was looking for- was currently in the safety of another's home, in another city entirely.

* * *

><p>"...Izaya?"<p>

The blonde asked quietly, affectionately stroking his boyfriend's hair as the other gazed at him with tired eyes. He had just woken up, his vision slowly clearing. They had slept more than enough hours to satisfy a full good night's rest, which was something that Izaya definitely hadn't the luxury of having due to this whole stalker incident as of late.  
>But now, he felt much better, giving Shizuo a soft smile before answering him.<p>

"...Mmm...good morning, Shizu-chan..."

"Good morning... Did you sleep well?" Shizuo wondered aloud with a kind smile.

"...Mm...mhm..." Izaya's reply was followed by a small yawn, before he closed his eyes and let out a light breath. Shizuo noticed Izaya close his eyes again, and he sighed quietly, not blaming him for relaxing a bit longer. He had lacked sleep for quite some weeks now, so Shizuo didn't mind letting him rest as much as he wanted.  
>However, he didn't want Izaya to sleep the day away, and they did get more than enough rest, so it was better for them to get up now.<p>

"Good. I'm happy that you got a chance to actually sleep... Anyway... What do you want for breakfast? I got a few things you might like..."

Scarlet eyes greeted Shizuo as they opened again, Izaya letting out another, longer yawn. He really would have preferred to sleep even more... But like Shizuo, he was in a similar mindset. This was a chance to spend even more time with him, and sleeping for most of that time wouldn't make it worthwhile. Besides, they could always go to bed early again, so that Izaya could make up for those lost nights of sleep.

Izaya thought about what Shizuo had asked, not entirely sure what to eat. He was use to eating simple breakfasts, which made him glad that he wouldn't likely inconvenience Shizuo. "I don't mind...anything that's simple will do."

"Anything simple... Like, omurice? I can make that for us. That's pretty simple..." Shizuo wasn't so sure what Izaya had meant.  
>Sensing his uncertainty, Izaya chuckled quietly and responded. "Well...sure, that actually sounds good..." Izaya had been going to say that just miso soup and rice would be what he did mean...those sorts of foods. He never ate large breakfasts, but he knew that Shizuo was quite the opposite. Even so, if Shizuo was willing to make him something, he would eat it. He wouldn't be an unappreciative guest while staying at Shizuo's place.<p>

"Okay, I'll do that. I'll also make some tea." He leaned down to press a kiss to the side of Izaya's face. "You can stay here and relax some more while I get started on the food." He smiled, then left the room to go and do as he had said he would.

Izaya sighed once he was alone in the room, looking up at the ceiling with a blank expression. He couldn't believe just how safe he felt here, compared to his own place. He hadn't known safety in a while now, this stalker situation having gotten out of hand.  
>He turned over onto his side, curling up and staring at the empty space beside him. He put a hand onto the pillow Shizuo had slept on, keeping it there and closing his eyes.<br>Shizuo's bed was much smaller than his, only intended for one person. But since they didn't mind sleeping in each other's arms, it was quite comfortable. Plus, it only added to the feeling of security that Izaya had while he stayed here. He wasn't sure just how long he would be hiding out, but it would probably be a while. Izaya was glad that he had Shizuo as a positive person in his life now, because he honestly had no idea what he would do if he were forced to face this alone. Sure, this was his problem, but admitting that he needed help and support wasn't so bad every now and again...

Shizuo walked back into the bedroom around fifteen minutes later, eyes instantly drawn to Izaya's resting form. He smiled to himself, going over to the bed to lay down, partially hovering over the other unsuspecting occupant to get a look at his sleeping face. Seeing that his subtle movements had caused no reaction, he moved in and quickly wrapped his arms around Izaya, playfully nuzzling his face into his neck. Luckily, Izaya had only been in a light sleep, so he woke up with little disorientation on his part. Even so, he was still a little confused, questioning the situation before he figured it out, feeling Shizuo's soft hair tickling his skin. He let out a small yelping sound as Shizuo laughed, rolling them so that Izaya was now lying on top of him. Izaya blinked down at the body under him, now quite alert and awake. Shizuo chuckled softly, leaning up to kiss Izaya's cheek. "Good morning again, sleepy. You ready to eat breakfast?"  
>Izaya mumbled something, clearly a bit irritated about having been woken up in such a fashion. But he knew that he had to get up sooner or later...and it was sort of his fault for having fallen asleep again, so he supposed that he was sort of asking for the wake up call he received. Finally putting on a smile, Shizuo's kiss having been the main cause, he nodded slowly and pressed his face against Shizuo's chest.<p>

"...I'm sorry... I'm just so tired... I feel like I could sleep the whole day..."

Shizuo smiled understandingly, running a hand through Izaya's dark hair. "I know that you're probably feeling pretty drained...but if you slept the whole day, then you'd be stuck awake at night, and that would be complicated for your sleeping patterns. But tell you what, we can go to sleep early tonight and sleep in tomorrow, okay?" He rubbed Izaya's back with his other hand, rolling them slowly back to their original positions, so that it would be easier for both of them to get off of the bed. Then, Shizuo gradually pulled away, sitting up and then leaving the bed. He went over to Izaya's side, looking down at him with a small grin, moving his arms around him again. Izaya wondered if this was another embrace, that is, until Shizuo started lifting him up. Izaya didn't seem like he would willingly get out of bed on his own anytime soon without accidentally falling asleep again, so Shizuo decided to assist him.

Carrying him bridal style, they entered the kitchen, where Shizuo placed him carefully on one of the chairs at the table, before taking a seat beside him. Their meals were already in place, along with a nice pot of tea as well as miso soup. Izaya just stared, amazed that the blond had pulled off something like this. There was the perfect serving of both foods in each respective dish, along with a bottle of ketchup in the center of the table for the omurice. Izaya stared at the food for a moment or two, as if he were a child staring at something with wonder and wasn't sure if he was supposed to touch it. Shizuo noticed this and chuckled softly, getting Izaya's attention by gently patting his back. "Well, staring at it isn't going to get it eaten..." He teased, Izaya snapping out of it and looking up in question. That is, before he realized he had seemingly spaced out for a moment in front of the blonde. "Oh, uh...sorry... It's just that, this looks really...amazing..." Izaya wasn't lying when he said that. No one had ever really cooked for him before since he began living on his own. Sure, he had cooked for Shizuo on a few occasions, but now, it was reverse...and he was actually quite happy that things had turned out this way.

Izaya gave him a sincere smile, looking back down at the food before clapping his hands together to give thanks for the meal. Shizuo followed after, before responding to Izaya's initial compliment. "You really think so? Thanks...heh... Oh, and just so you know, it's my turn to take care of you, alright? So, I hope it's to your liking..."  
>He smiled, Izaya looking his way with some sort of unidentifiable expression, before he eventually returned the smile with a gentle one of his own. "...You're welcome...and, thank you...for letting me stay here...with you..."<p>

He spoke the last couple of words quietly, not wasting a moment to bring a piece of egg to his mouth and eat it, as if to avoid speaking any more on the matter. Shizuo watched him do this, a look on his face that seemed to say, '_Really?_' with an amused smile to follow. Not long after, he finally lifted a bite to his mouth, going on to enjoy his own meal.

* * *

><p>A few hours had passed before the couple found themselves sitting on the couch, watching a random movie on a television channel. Shizuo wasn't about to push Izaya into going out somewhere if he didn't feel safe, so he was glad that they had found something to pass the time while they were inside his apartment. Even he could admit that his apartment didn't have much in terms of entertainment, especially because he had less than Izaya did. But, he was still content, and Izaya seemed to be as well.<br>It had initially surprised Shizuo, especially considering how large of a living space his boyfriend owned. He thought that Izaya would have complaints about going from such a place to a small apartment, but on the contrary, he actually seemed quite at home and somehow even more comfortable. This was something that he would never had expected in all of his time with the other.  
>Throughout the time they sat there, Shizuo kept on casting short glances at the brunet. If Izaya had noticed, which he hardly did, then he would have immediately known that Shizuo had been paying more attention to him than the movie. It wasn't until the movie was almost over that Izaya finally did realize that he hadn't been imagining things, turning his head to meet eyes with his observer.<p>

"...Shizuo." He spoke softly, the blond visually tensing up and shoulders slouching when he too also realized what he had been doing. Although in defense on his part, keeping an eye on Izaya had sort of become a habit.

"...Yeah?"

"...You know...you've been watching me more than you've been watching the television..." He chuckled quietly, gaze never leaving Shizuo's face.

"...Wait...I-I have? ...Oh wow...sorry..." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, looking away. Izaya frowned at this and moved his hand to cup the side of Shizuo's face, turning it back so that Shizuo was looking at him once more. Izaya smiled again, shaking his head.  
>"I'm not complaining. But you don't seem to realize what you were doing, so..." He shrugged, letting out a small hum and then looking back to the screen. Shizuo was silent for a moment or two, before he spoke.<p>

"...I guess that I just-... I don't know. All those times we hung out, you hadn't been sleeping much, thanks to that bastard. You would drift off pretty easily a lot of the time, too. So I...I just created that habit, I suppose. Checking up on you, I mean..."  
>Izaya listened, and as he did, he was beginning to feel quite happy to have learned such a thing. So, Shizuo would watch over him more than he thought, it seemed.<p>

"...Did you really?" Still smiling, only wider, if possible, he leaned forward to press his face against Shizuo's neck. "...Thank you... Shizuo..." He mumbled, deciding to just go for it and pulling himself closer to hug his companion. Shizuo slowly relaxed, moving his arms around his boyfriend to keep him in place, nuzzling his hair affectionately. "You're welcome, Izaya... I just want to make sure that you're alright..." He gently rocked the smaller male in his hold, smiling a loving smile.

Izaya was grateful. He truly was, however, he still couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy. He certainly felt much safer here than he did at his place. But even so, he dreaded the thought of having Shizuo involved in this mess, especially because he had tried to keep him out of it as much as possible when it originally had first began. The stress and worrying had put an obvious toll on Izaya's body, and he eventually had no choice but to give in and tell Shizuo the truth. After all, he hated the thought of lying to him even more...and keeping these things from him. Besides, Shizuo did have a right to know...even if Izaya feared for his safety as a result.

"...You know...honestly, all of these years alone I-...I've never really felt completely safe...until now..." Izaya admitted quietly, keeping his face hidden from view. In a way, it was almost ironic how the one man who had always posed the biggest threat to Izaya was now the one making him feel safest. But sometimes, that was just how fate decided to work.  
>Shizuo let Izaya's words sink in, frowning slightly at the memory of what they had been to each other before, as well as knowing very well that anyone who worked an underground career was bound to never feel very safe at any given time.<p>

However, he knew it wasn't just that. Izaya hadn't said it, but Shizuo couldn't help feeling like he might have been part of the reason, if not one of the main reasons that Izaya never felt very safe in the past. But even Shizuo could see the almost comical irony of their current moment at present, his frown fading into a soft smile. He kept on cradling the other close, resting his chin on the top of dark hair before he responded to what he had just heard.  
>"...Is that right?" He mused, stroking Izaya's hair gently. "Well, you're currently in the arms of a person with abnormal strength...dangerously abnormal... So I don't know about feeling safe... Hah..."<p>

He tried to make what he said seem like a small joke, wanting to calm the atmosphere in the room. "Don't get me wrong, I'm actually really glad to be able to hold you like this... I don't have to worry about my strength harming you anymore, because I learned how to control it..."  
>Izaya seemingly perked up, but as he met gazes with the blond, there was obvious confusion in his eyes.<br>Shizuo sighed with a small chuckle. "With that, I'm pretty sure you can see what I-...uh...well..." Shizuo did have a point he was trying to make, but he lost it mid-thought, turning his face away and scratching the back of his head awkwardly.  
>Izaya moved more so that he was facing him, still remaining in his hold, placing a hand on either side of Shizuo's face before softly smiling at him. "I understand..." He nodded slowly, leaning in and giving the other a chaste sweet kiss. "...Thank you..." Izaya spoke against Shizuo's lips, before he let his head slump down onto the blond's shoulder. Relaxation soon took over, and he was contently curled up on the bodyguard's lap, going back to watching whatever was on the television.<p>

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><p>It had been about a week since Izaya had started temporarily living with Shizuo. Everything had been going quite smoothly. Izaya was getting plenty of sleep and seemed much more lively, as well as happier, much to Shizuo's satisfaction.<br>However, it wasn't like all of their concerns had just vanished. Izaya, even though he felt safe now, knew that he would have to go back to his place sooner or later to take care of a few things. There was also the matter of solving the problem with his alleged stalker, who clearly wasn't intelligent enough with his primary goal if he didn't even know where Izaya was now. All he could hope was that the stalker would realize that Izaya wasn't around there anymore, and simply leave him be.

But...that was just wishful thinking.

Shizuo didn't mind if Izaya had to even end up staying with him for a longer time than expected. The thought of the other male moving in permanently crossed Shizuo's mind, and he had to halt his wandering ideas before he got overly excited. That sort of thing, while Shizuo was pretty sure he wouldn't mind the two of them officially living under the same roof, still seemed a bit too soon. Heck, they hadn't even said they loved each other yet, let alone been intimate with each other-so, moving in together seemed a bit far-fetched.

However, more reasons on why it might not be so bad flowed into his head. He was pretty damn sure that he wanted to be with Izaya for the rest of his life. It just felt right to be with the other male, and thinking back, Shizuo had never really had an interest in anyone else. He didn't really find himself attracted to anyone in the past, which might have been for the best on his part...especially because of the lingering concern that he could harm someone. He never thought he would ever be in a relationship due to his strength and personality. So, he didn't even bother trying to find anyone to be with.  
>Yet in a way, he had found someone without even trying...that someone who was able to be his equal in more ways than one...the only person who never feared him. Izaya may not have super human strength, but the pair were more alike than meets the eye.<p>

But that was when he recalled his and Izaya's first meeting, and as he reminisced on it, he realized that their meeting was when he knew that his fate with the other was sealed. They couldn't escape what they had created. Even more so, from that moment on, they only ever had eyes for each other. Of course, now, they turned their poisonous relationship into a loving one, benefiting the both of them greatly.

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><p>A couple of nights later, Izaya announced that it might be best for him to go back. He didn't like that idea, and Shizuo especially didn't like that idea. Yet, as he had previously mentioned, there were some things he had to take care of. He couldn't just up and abandon his flat for this long. He had food in the refrigerator that could spoil, and possibly mail and deliveries to check on.<br>Even though Shizuo wanted to protest, he understood. He didn't argue on the matter, keeping in mind that he could accompany his companion there and back to make sure he would be safe. They had agreed that Izaya would stay over a bit longer, something Shizuo insisted upon and Izaya didn't mind doing, with the exception that he could go make sure everything was fine at his own place.

The trip to Shinjuku didn't take very long. Izaya was brief with his tasks of checking what needed to be checked, bagging some food close to expiration that he could take back with him to Shizuo's. His boyfriend assisted him with throwing away what little was spoiled, as well as snacking on a few things to help cut down the amount they would have to carry.  
>When Izaya was ready to go, they left quickly, making sure to confirm that there was nothing watching them outside. Deeming it safe, they began to head back to Ikebukuro.<p>

They had only been walking around ten minutes, before it occurred to them that everything seemed a bit quiet...a little bit too quiet...  
>Sure, they almost always took the route with less people, but this time, something seemed very peculiar...<p>

'_...Something doesn't feel right..._' Shizuo stood in place, putting his arm in front of Izaya to silently tell him to also stop walking. The blond looked around, his guard up just in case. He knew when something wasn't right in this city, years of quarreling with Izaya partially to thank for that. He felt a hand lightly slide against his arm, and he looked down to meet gazes with his companion. Izaya's stare seemed to be asking what was going on, and all Shizuo did in response was put his index finger up, indicating that he wanted the other to remain quiet. Izaya nodded, also looking around and being cautious.  
>Suddenly, out of nowhere, a strange gust of wind went by them quickly. Or so it seemed to be...<br>Izaya's blade was in his hand not a moment after, keeping it safely in front of himself as well as ensuring he could defend Shizuo as well.  
>The quick breeze blew past them once more, and this time, they both were able to catch a glimpse of what the cause really was. There, in the far corner, was a tall and dark figure. It hid in the shadows, keeping its identity well-hidden. Neither Shizuo or Izaya would be very concerned, if it weren't for the fact that this figure had glowing red eyes, gaze directly on them. It was quite evident now just exactly what they were dealing with.<br>One of Saika's children.

Now, both had experience with dealing with this sort of thing, Shizuo certainly having more than Izaya. But it was still easy to feel a bit terrified, especially when not knowing when the creature might strike next was clearly a danger.

"Shizuo." His companion spoke his name in a low, quiet tone of voice, eyes meeting a split second before the blond nodded towards him. In their silent conversation, they came to a mutual decision. They would stay in place, keeping alert and preparing themselves to fight. With the two of them together, they were sure to beat this.

Not a moment later, the figure lunged at them, blade in hand as it was swung wildly through the air. The intended victims jumped out of the way, Izaya using his own knife to try and pin the attacker to a wall. But, the creature was too fast, coming at them again from another direction that was unforeseen. Shizuo growled, moving out of the attacker's path as it went for him this time. In that very moment, he had no weapons other than his fists, which would work just fine.

Except for one thing.

The only time he had dealt with such a large number of Saika's children, he had the aid of gloves made from Celty's shadows in order to protect his skin. But this time, he would have to fight bare-handed.

The possessed man let out a crazed-sounding giggle, which echoed off the walls. Izaya flinched just as he threw a blade its way, yet he still managed to succeed with a decent form of distraction, giving Shizuo and him time to get ready to defend themselves again. The creature paused, staying creepily still for a moment, before it went at them again. Izaya had another knife ready, about to throw it again, until his target vanished once more.  
>Shizuo and Izaya stood in place, in protective stances as they looked around...listening for any sign of the creature.<p>

It was Shizuo who detected its movements first, and he didn't like where it was headed.

In one swift movement, Shizuo rushed towards his companion, blocking the possessed man's path and shielding a clueless Izaya.  
>It all happened so fast...<p>

If the figure was attempting to attack him again, Shizuo couldn't tell. His gaze was angry, there was rage in his eyes as his only objective was to protect what was his.

Scarlet orbs widened as soon as Izaya realized just who was between him and a certain end. Izaya hadn't even seen the attacker coming at him, yet Shizuo had. He swung his arm and punched the attacker hard, enough to send them flying far away to an unknown location.

Their threat was gone just like that, leaving the couple frozen in place as they tried to recover from what had just happened...and from what they had just seen.

'_...Something feels weird..._' Shizuo put a hand to his chest, over his pounding heart as it slowly came to rest to it's normal pulse. He was silent, his fingers feeling a rather warm, wet, and sticky substance as they made contact with a confirmed wound. '_...Dammit...I think it got me..._'  
>Izaya was soon at his side, looking up with worry in his eyes. Shizuo cleared his throat quietly, taking care to attempt hiding the fresh wound. The last thing he wanted was for Izaya to panic over this. After all, it was just a little scratch...at least, it was to Shizuo.<br>It would heal up quickly, and besides, it didn't hurt in the slightest.

"Shizuo."

The blond wiped the blood onto his pants, making sure to be discreet. The darkness of the area they were in helped... Hopefully, the blood stain wouldn't show against the black of his pant's fabric...

His attention went to Izaya as he put on a small smile, relieved that his boyfriend was alright, at least. "Izaya...are you okay?" If the creature had gotten Izaya, Shizuo didn't know what he would do. When it came to himself, Shizuo was pretty confident that it would be difficult for Saika to take control of him. But when it came to Izaya, he wasn't born with the burden of super strength, or even an abnormal body, for that matter. Sure, he could survive a few things thrown at him during their past fights, but this was a cursed blade they were dealing with here. Izaya was a master with throwing blades, but if his own skill were used against him, then... Shizuo didn't even want to think about it.

"...It didn't get me..." Izaya responded, hugging his arms to himself as he looked to the side, staying alert. "Shizuo, I think that was him..."

The blond looked down in question. "...Him?"

"...The person...who's been stalking me. That was him. It had to be. I recognized his face."

Shizuo's eyes widened, as he thought of the possibilities of what might have happened if he hadn't taken Izaya in and kept him in hiding. So, this man, who was also possessed by Saika, had been the one stalking his Izaya? Now Shizuo really didn't want to think about what could have happened if he left Izaya alone to deal with this.

"...and also, remember that time we had a little run-in before, in the alleyway? That man...who you threw? Well, that was him. Between then and now, he's somehow become one of Saika's slaves...and it would seem that...he's still after me. I don't know if the intent is still the same or not, but he's after me."

Izaya grew silent after that, his arms around himself tightening, the distance between him and Shizuo growing smaller as he stepped closer. Watching him quietly, Shizuo could tell that Izaya was afraid. Here he was, someone Shizuo always thought to be fearless. But Izaya knew that the demonic blade wasn't something to take so lightly. Especially if it was after him.

Noticing Izaya's body language, Shizuo realized that he should be comforting the brunet. He began to reach out his arms to hold the other, but, something stopped him.

The wound on his chest.

Shizuo didn't want Izaya to know about that, and if Izaya were to notice the blood, then he was sure to feel even worse about all of this. But Shizuo still longed to comfort his companion, so, he reverted his original movement to placing an arm around his shoulder, pulling him close. He ran his fingers through dark hair, soothingly, hoping that would be enough to console him without giving away that something was wrong.  
>"Let's go... We're in the clear for now, but I don't know how quickly he's gonna take to recover, or even how fast he might track us down if we don't get moving."<br>There was no response for a long moment after he spoke, and Shizuo had to glance at Izaya's face to make sure he was alright. He saw that he had no need to worry, as Izaya finally nodded, taking the blond's hand in his and quickly leading them the rest of the way back to Shizuo's place.

As soon as they entered the apartment, and after Shizuo was certain that Izaya was safely on the couch for the time being, he went straight to his bedroom to retrieve a different shirt. Then, he went to the bathroom, relieved to finally get a chance to clean his wound. Removing the ruined shirt, he balled it up and threw it in the trashcan. Looking into the mirror at his reflection, he carefully inspected the injury. It wasn't too bad, and the bleeding had long stopped, at least.

The cut went across his chest, slightly over the other scar he had from Izaya back in high school, but mostly over his heart. '_...What if that thing had managed to actually stab my heart? Even with my strength, I'd still be dead for sure if that's how things turned out..._' Shizuo quickly cleaned the blood off his skin, then found some bandages. He covered the wound and put on the clean shirt, discarding the evidence and then tied the trash bag so he could get rid of it later. This way, Izaya wouldn't find out that Shizuo got hurt.

Back in the other room, Izaya sat on the couch with his arms hugged to himself once more, staring at nothing in particular. But inside, he couldn't help it as his mind replayed the night's events. '_...That man... He's possessed, so, I wonder if that means that Saika is after me? Either that, or...perhaps a stray child of that sword is only assisting him with hunting me..._' He wasn't entirely certain, so he kept on wondering. Moments later, his thoughts drifted to Shizuo. '_...and what about Shizuo... Clearly that guy was after me, but Shizuo managed to stop him after he got between us..._' Izaya turned his head to look over at the entrance of Shizuo's bedroom, still waiting patiently. '_He was certainly in a hurry once we got back, and he didn't tell me what he was going to do..._' It was then that something dawned on the brunet. '_...When he comforted me earlier...it wasn't the same as other times that he would. This time, it seemed a bit off... He only hugged me with one arm... Why would he do it like that, unless-..._'  
>Scarlet eyes widened in silent realization.<p>

Even though Shizuo was trying so hard to hide what had happened to him, Izaya wasn't that easy to fool. With that, Shizuo's attempts to keep his injury from his boyfriend were in vain.

Because...

Izaya already knew.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello!<strong>

**Well, here it is... (I did warn you about the angst...right?) **

**...The next couple of chapters may not be so happy...**

**Anyway, this story still lives, do not worry!**

**As always, thank you very much for your wonderful reviews. They keep me going. (Even if it's slow...heh...) ^^;**


	18. Chapter 18

**_Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita._**

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><p>Izaya stumbled over his own feet as he ran through the abandoned remains of what was once a business building. Light shown through the wooden frames, the only support left of a ceiling for the deteriorating interior.<p>

The male almost tripped over some rubble, but he quickly recovered and went on his way as he sought out a place to temporarily hide himself. Upon entering another room...or at least, what was left of a room, an ideal place was found.

_'This wasn't supposed to happen...'_

He crouched down and then remained in a still position, keeping as quiet as possible as he breathed in and out breathes of exhaustion.

_'Why did this happen?'_

He hesitantly peeked around the corner, being slow with his actions before he huddled even closer to the wall. Izaya violently trembled as he sat alone, his senses all disoriented because of one thought.

_'I feel so…empty... He-…why? Shizu-chan…Shizuo…why did he-…'_

Izaya instantly flinched as the sound of something being knocked over resounded through the walls. It was immediately followed by a loud crash, dust cascading down onto the informant as the structure shook. Izaya placed his hood over his head to avoid the mess, still keeping quiet as to not betray his hiding place.

Footsteps echoed in the distance...and they kept on getting closer...and closer...

The next thing Izaya knew, he had been lifted by his hood, firmly held up by one hand. His body was pressed against the nearest wall, a low growl making its way to his ear as his captor's lips went near his face.

"...Caught you."

Shizuo grinned maliciously, dropping the smaller man carelessly before hoisting him up again by the shoulders, only to slam him roughly against the wall once more. Izaya winced in slight pain, afraid to meet eyes with the other male as he kept his head lowered.

_'...Why... Shizuo... What did I do wrong...'_

"I could smell your stench from miles away. You can't hide from me, bastard."

Izaya's eyes widened as he heard it...the obvious hatred in the other's voice. Shizuo had never spoken to him in such a way in months...and now...here it was again. Only this time, everything seemed much worse than it ever had been.

Slowly, Izaya lifted his head, briefly meeting gazes with the blond and seeing it confirmed for himself. In those golden brown eyes...there wasn't any light. They were dull...lifeless. In those eyes, Izaya saw pure intent to harm-to kill. Even before everything had changed for the better between the two of them, never had Izaya seen such a look in Shizuo's eyes. Maybe it was because Shizuo had never wanted to actually kill him in the first place...

...But now, something told Izaya that he needed to get out of here...because this Shizuo would likely not be giving him any mercy.

_'...But why... Why is he looking at me like that?'_

He struggled in Shizuo's grip, knowing it was of little use countering such superhuman strength. Shizuo noticed this, his dark grin widening as he held on even tighter. Izaya let out a sharp gasp, knowing for certain that bruises would very likely be left behind. He could feel tears threatening to drop from his eyes as the pain got worse and worse... He trembled and groaned as he felt certain that Shizuo wasn't going to stop until his bones snapped, leaving his shoulder blades broken...

...However, the pressure lightened, and Shizuo finally eased his grip.

Izaya stared up in shock as gazes met again, his scarlet eyes widening when he saw the look on Shizuo's face.

"...Izaya..."

His name was whispered, golden eyes also going wide as Izaya was certain a small light flickered within them.

"...I-Izaya..." Shizuo repeated, a bit louder this time, his hands slowly releasing his victim as the blond slumped forward, his head resting upon Izaya's shoulder almost hesitantly.

"...Sh-Shizu-chan?"

Izaya replied, not able to believe what was going on in front of him. Most of all, he was feeling very confused...not sure what to make of this situation. Wasn't Shizuo just trying to hurt him seconds ago? But now, he had stopped, having let him go and speaking his name with hints of what could only be desperation...a call for help.

Izaya watched the blond longingly for a short moment, but that look was quickly replaced with sadness, followed by a small and sorrowful smile to accompany it.

Now he knew for certain...Shizuo wasn't gone. He was still there. Izaya's Shizuo still existed.

But at the same time, the Shizuo that he knew was trapped inside this other being...who wanted nothing more than Izaya's blood on his hands. Even the man who had hated Izaya before wouldn't have gone as far as truly wishing death upon him...nor ever making any actual attempts.

So then the question was...why was Shizuo acting like this? How did he become this way?

What could Izaya do now? Here was Shizuo, his Shizuo, calling out to him. The blond hair tickled Izaya's neck as he considered what his next actions should be. Should he risk it and provide comfort? Or, should he escape while he could since Shizuo was currently docile?

_'I can't just abandon him... I could never do that to him...'_

Izaya bit his lower lip, and slowly, he gently cupped each side of Shizuo's face with his hands, gazing at him with sad eyes.

"Shizuo..." He spoke, able to see that his Shizuo was still there...at least...for the time being. "You're still here...aren't you?"

His only response was a quick nod of the head, Shizuo letting out a loud and shuddered breath.

"...I-Izaya..."

He whispered once more, pressing his face against the warmth of Izaya's skin. Izaya tensed up, letting his hands drop to his sides as Shizuo attempted to get even closer. He didn't want to deny Shizuo this closeness...but...he didn't know how long this Shizuo was going to remain in control. After all, who was to say that this wasn't only temporary?

Izaya let out a deep sigh, hesitantly giving in, not able to hold back running his fingers through the gold hair...

...But then, he felt Shizuo flinch.

There was a low growl, before Izaya realized his mistake. He could feel the atmosphere quickly changing.

He regretted what he did next, but doing other than that would have meant certain death. He moved from the other's arms before they were able to trap him any further into a death grip, now at a safe distance from Shizuo as his intent switched from affectionate to murderous, all in a matter of seconds. Shizuo seemed dumbfounded at first, staring at the empty space in front of him as it gradually sunk in...and he realized that Izaya had managed to escape.

"...You..." Shizuo let out through clenched teeth, eyes wide in pure anger as he turned his head towards his intended victim. "Think you can escape that easily, eh, bastard?" He moved his body towards his target, slowly stalking forward with a grin that Izaya really didn't like very much.

Before Izaya could think anymore about how much he wanted to stay by Shizuo's side...he knew that he had to get out of there. The last thing he wanted was to leave Shizuo behind like this, especially because he was quite aware that the Shizuo he knew was still in there. But what help would Izaya be to him if he were killed by the very person he was trying to help?

Running as quickly as his feet would allow him, Izaya made it out of the abandoned structure without looking back. He knew that Shizuo would be following him, not missing a chance to end his life if Izaya were to make one wrong move. So, he kept on going, until he was certain that Shizuo was no longer chasing after him. Even in Shizuo's current state, certainly he wouldn't waste time looking for Izaya the rest of the night. Even he would need to sleep.

Eventually, almost an hour had passed before Izaya saw no trace of the bodyguard, and he finally made it back home. Shizuo had long given up on the chase for now, which gave Izaya time to relax and think things through. But even if he was able to have a few moments of peace to himself, it was still difficult to even begin to comprehend what he had just experienced. His thoughts were a mess, and for once in his life, he didn't have any answers. There was nothing he could think to do to solve any of this right away, and on top of that, he no longer felt safe. The one person he felt the safest with was now trying to kill him, and he didn't even know why.

The puzzled informant took a seat on his couch, silently thinking back to one of his past memories with the blond, after they had become friends, yet before they had started their romantic relationship. He didn't know what triggered him to reminisce like this, but it kept his mind a bit more calm, as well as giving him some reassurance that his Shizuo had existed...and giving him some form of hope.

* * *

><p><strong>-Several months ago-<strong>

* * *

><p>"But Shizu-chan is still Shizu-chan, hm?"<p>

Izaya's lips moved into a sly smile as the informant stared up at the bodyguard.

"What about it, flea?" His companion grinned down at him. "You're still the same as ever, you know."

"Shizu-chan, I meant your name. And that's not even fair! You're comparing me to an insect when you call me that, whereas I only call you by an affectionate nickname!"

The blond got closer as he spoke. Izaya could feel his heart beat pick up.

"Hmm. That is true. But what if what I call you is an affectionate nickname from me to you, eh, flea?"

He stopped a couple of feet away from the brunet and put a hand on top of his head to pet it. Izaya stared, petrified at that moment. He closed his eyes to savor the feeling of Shizuo's touch and the warmth it gave him throughout his body, only for it to fade not as soon as it had began. Shizuo walked past him and turned his head to look back, smiling. Izaya forced a small smile back at him, silently upset over the turn of events. What was he expecting, after all? It's not like they were anything more than friends. They never had been.

Since the day they stopped fighting and found that they got along quite well, if they tried, Izaya had always noticed some sort of feeling whenever he was around Shizuo. He couldn't identify it at the time, but that had changed recently. It was the feeling of safety and security...of happiness, and complete trust. Their previous bond based on remorse had morphed into something much different...much better. It was something indescribable yet so clear.

Izaya claimed to love all humans. But that love wasn't what anyone would consider as actual love. It was almost like saying that someone loved to watch movies. It was simply a hobby. Izaya could compare humans to that ideology quite easily.

He loved observing their lives, not the humans themselves...nor each and every individual. He loved to see how one small situation could lead to a large one, for better or for worse. Watching from the outside was what he loved to do.

But this was very different. He had always considered Shizuo to not be a human being... By everyone else, he was considered a monster.

However, because Izaya had gained actual feelings for the man, countering what was never really hatred to begin with, he found that calling him such a thing would be cruel. On top of that, he cared about Shizuo as an individual. It was something that Izaya never had felt for anyone else before.

This was love. Real feelings of love.

He couldn't deny it any longer.

Izaya Orihara was in love with Shizuo Heiwajima.

Because of this, he also didn't want to part ways with the bodyguard so soon.

"So…where are you going?" Izaya's smile faded and his tone was serious. Shizuo frowned when he noticed the change in attitude.

"Well, I was going to go home…"

He ran a hand through his blond hair while watching his companion. Izaya seemed upset all of a sudden. Shizuo knew him better than anyone, so he could tell the small shift of his mood in an instant.

"...Do...do you want to go with me? Or…" He could admit that he would enjoy the informant's company. He had nothing to do that afternoon.

He always felt his happiest around Izaya. It was quite a change compared to what it had been not a few months ago. He had even found that he felt something, which was possibly bigger than friendship between them.

Izaya's face lit up the moment Shizuo asked if he wanted to go back with him. He quickly hid his emotions when he noticed the blond staring intently at him, and forced a small smile to hide his larger one.

"Hmm…I don't have any more work today. I also don't want to go back home to that distasteful woman…if she decided to rudely intrude on a non-work day, that is...which isn't uncommon."

Shizuo frowned in question.

"My secretary, Namie."

"Ah."

"So it's…either my place, which contains my unappreciative and irritating secretary, versus Shizu-chan's place, which has-…"

He stopped himself before he accidentally spoke his thoughts. He was going to say something along the lines of _"Shizu-chan's place, which has the only person I care to spend time with…"_, but he didn't complete the sentence which automatically grabbed Shizuo's attention, wondering what he had to say. Especially considering how it seemed like Izaya was comparing his options...and if Izaya thought that his own place was not the favored option, then...naturally, Shizuo figured out that his place was the preferred spot...and he wanted to know why.

"...Which has-...?"

Shizuo repeated, phrasing it more as a question, trying to encourage Izaya to continue with what he had been going to say. But Izaya seemed reluctant at that point, keeping his mouth shut tight and looking to the side. Shizuo clicked his tongue in curiosity and even more confusion, walking back towards the other and stopping a few feet away.

"...Which has...me? Like you said, it is my place, after all."

He guessed with a small chuckle, thinking that made sense. He watched as the shorter male's shoulders seemingly relaxed, and then scarlet eyes met with his golden brown as there was a quick nod of his head.

"Mhm."

At this, Shizuo raised an eyebrow, just now realizing that it was a little bit strange that Izaya couldn't finish saying something so simple...after all, he only had one word to say...right?

Izaya sighed, relieved that Shizuo had assumed something else, regardless. It was a silent mutual understanding of sorts that the both of them had, regarding their friendship. They knew that they enjoyed one another's company, and they each knew that they were pretty much each other's only friends...close friends, in fact. With the exception of a certain underground doctor and his dullahan, of course.

"...Well, I'm not exactly in my apartment just yet. It has yet to 'contain' me." The blond went on to tease Izaya a bit, not able to resist. "So, let's head over there. It's not far."

It took Izaya a minute before he realized that Shizuo had joked with him. This made him smile, at least a little bit, as well as letting out a light chuckle.

"Alright, I'll follow you there."

_'...I'll follow you anywhere...'_

* * *

><p>With a shuddered breath, Izaya laid in the darkness of his apartment, alone, staring up at the ceiling. He kept himself curled up as he hugged a pillow to his body, his arms wrapped around it tightly.<p>

He had so much on his mind at that moment, and all of it had to do with one person.

Shizuo.

The troublesome man who had been possessed by the Slasher, and who had attacked the couple earlier, was no longer a concern. The threats from Kasuka's attempted attackers had ceased as well. Izaya figured that they assumed that he had been dealt with. He certainly didn't mind if they thought that, so long as the harassment stopped.

...But still.

"...Hey, Shizuo..."

Izaya whispered into the darkness, turning his head and staring at the empty side on his bed.

"...You said that you were going to protect me..." He sighed, fingers trailing up and down the seam of the pillow in his hold. "Well, you did... But now...you're trying to hurt me... So what...what is it that you're trying to do?… Why...are you doing the opposite of what you promised?"

He looked back up at the ceiling, hugging the pillow even tighter, closing his eyes.

"You're...the one person I've ever cared about... I know that I said I loved all humans but...I kept my distance from them. I never got close to anyone...no one...except you. You were the only one whose attention I ever really wanted...and, I got it." A sad smile appeared on his face. "Heh...of course, I got the bad part of it first...but finally, I got to see the good...the best. The side of you that I had been waiting for."

With a gentle sigh, Izaya's eyes began to open.

"...I will see that side of you again...and this time, it's going to stay. I'll save you...because, you're myShizuo..._my_ Shizu-chan."

This time, within his eyes, there was a glint, as his face suddenly bore a look of pure determination.

"I won't give up on you."

* * *

><p><strong>...Well, I did say things would get worse before they get better...<br>(I'm sorry!)  
><strong>

**...So, life got in the way again. **  
><strong>Also, I suffered a major writer's block. <strong>  
><strong><em>-Excuses Excuses-<em>**  
><strong>But I'm trying! <strong>

**I promise that this story will one day be completed!**

**I appreciate each and every review, and they do give me motivation (even if I'm still slow...). **

**Thank you for your ongoing support!~ ^^**


	19. Chapter 19

_**Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita.**_

* * *

><p><strong>PLEASE NOTE: Due to content within this chapter, this story's rating has been changed to M.<strong>

* * *

><p>"Please tell me that you know what you're doing."<p>

The green-eyed male sighed with irritation as he was led down a hallway, his wrist being pulled along by a rather overly-excited looking Rikai. The big oaf had called him out of bed that morning, showing up to his place moments later before he even had time to wash his face or even prepare breakfast.

"Of course I know." The taller man grinned towards his friend, finally stopping at a large door. Nisake raised an eyebrow, exchanging glances with his auburn-haired companion. "Wanna know?" Rikai teased with a wink, only causing the younger to scowl.

"Just get on with it. Where are we, and what are we doing here?"

Rikai gave Nisake a fake pout, proceeding to place his hands through the other's darker hair as an attempt to somehow style it. Nisake, however, didn't know what he was doing. He complained with another series of frowns and scoffs, before the hands were retracted from his head. But for his own enjoyment, Rikai quickly ruffled the brown hair one last time, swiftly avoiding an attempted swing from his friend. He only laughed, then took a step back out of some form of respect.

"Alright. I'll tell you why we're here." He placed his hands into his pockets. "You know how you've been wanting to get some good work? Eh...better roles?"

A nod was his reply.

"Weeell, I did some searching, and I think you'll be pretty happy with what I found for ya..."

This peaked Nisake's interest, and it showed on his face. Seeing that made Rikai feel at ease.

"...What exactly did you find?"

"Something pretty great. I know it's last minute, buuut... I did worry a bit and I don't want you to be totally unprepared, but then again, you're always on top of things."

"...Except for in bed..." Nisake mumbled, his words just barely caught by Rikai, whose face burned up from the implication. He quickly cleared his throat, eyes flicking to the side as he continued on with what he was saying.

"...Uh...heh...Well, anyway... There's this talent agency that was interested in meeting with you. They've seen your work, and they like it, a lot. They also have a branch company in the U.S., and, well, I know you're fluent in English and all, so..."

There was quiet for a moment or two, Rikai's gaze going back to Nisake's face. What he was greeted by was a sight he rarely ever saw.  
>A smile.<p>

"...You...you did this for _me_?" Nisake asked almost in a whisper, his green eyes practically shining with a light Rikai also wasn't accustomed to seeing.

"...Yeah. I did."

"...Why? I...I don't deserve it..." He sighed, turning his head away. "...Last week I was an idiot. You were right about everything... Me going after that Hanejima guy and trying to destroy the competition... I was being selfish, and I could have gotten us into a lot of trouble if you hadn't talked some sense into me when you did..."

Rikai was stunned. Was his friend really admitting that he had been wrong? "Nisake, you-"

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? I know I don't treat you the best and all that, and yet you've still been with me all these years. You've put up with all of the messes I've dragged us into, and you've stayed by my side. I couldn't ask for a better person in my life..." Saying all of that made Nisake shudder a bit, since he wasn't exactly used to speaking his feelings, let alone admitting that he was wrong about...well, _anything_.

"...Nisake..." Rikai's lips curved into a wide smile, and with that, he leaned in to momentarily to move his arms around and hold the smaller male. "...That means a lot, especially coming from you." He chuckled, giving Nisake a gentle squeeze, then pulled away. "But I'll always be with you. We're stuck with each other, ya know. There's nothing you could ever do or say to get rid of me." With a grin, he once again ruffled the head of hair offered to him, this time with no protest, then looked to the door. "Well then, shall we go in?"

Nisake let out a sigh and smiled warmly, with no hesitation sliding his hand into the other's, earning him a surprised yet very happy smile in return.

"Yeah...let's go."

* * *

><p>The next few days went by very slowly.<p>

Shizuo hadn't come by to threaten Izaya, but since all of this had happened, that was seemingly the one place he _didn't_ go to hunt him down. The informant had pretty much locked himself in his own apartment, keeping little contact with anyone. The only people he could trust were Shinra and Celty, and much to his displeasure, Namie. Although, he hadn't explained the situation to anyone, and told them not to even bother coming by anyway.

He didn't want to risk anyone getting hurt, in case _someone_ just happened to show up.

Within the time he spent alone, he tried to think of ways that he could get himself out of all of this. He had even considered somehow sneaking out and leaving the country. But even then, he felt certain that Shizuo would somehow track him down just to kill him.

Izaya was beginning to think that there was no time to figure out what exactly was wrong with Shizuo, because he had no idea what could have possibly possessed him to become that way in the first place...

...Wait.

_Possessed?_

Was it possible that Shizuo was being controlled by something?

_'...Now that I think about it...he's acting quite similar to that man on the night we were attacked...' _Izaya's eyes widened in his sudden realization_. '...How could I be so stupid?!'_

Making his way over to his desk, he took a seat in the chair, resting his head on his arms.

_'Shizuo was cut by the Slasher...therefore...'_ Everything clicked within that very moment._ 'He's infected by the rogue blade...'_ Izaya could feel a strange sense of urgency, yet relief at the same time, knowing that he figured it out. However, he now felt the desperation to fix everything. But how did one stop the effects of the cursed blade?

Before he could linger any more on the possibilities, there was the sound of a doorknob being turned...broken...and a clattering to the floor. He didn't even bother to lift his head as the door was opened, his body frozen in place as another sound of low grunting and metal clanking was heard.  
>Izaya knew that the door had just been locked from the inside.<p>

"Flea."

Was the roughly spoken name. Then came the familiar footsteps, approaching his desk. Izaya remained stiff in place, not daring to look up.

"Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you!" It was practically a yell, causing Izaya to flinch and finally lift his head.

The sight before him made his chest ache, but he couldn't do anything about it. So instead, he put on his cold mask, because all he was able to feel right now was dread.

"Why are you here... If you aren't here to kill me, then be on your way." He kept his voice bitter, although it pained him to do so.

"I'd want nothing more than to do that, but there's something else bothering me. I know it's all your fault, you bastard."

"...And what would that be?" Izaya asked, eyes going to the floor.

"It sickens me to say it, but, somehow I'm...I'm in love with you! But all I wanna do is bash your head in! What the hell am I supposed to do about that?!"

Izaya's heart dropped.

Here was Shizuo, admitting something that he had been hoping to hear for so long since they had been together...but it was in the worst way possible. Saying that it sickened him to say such a thing...along with how much he wanted to kill him.

So, Izaya did his best to keep a calm exterior. Oddly enough, Shizuo didn't seem to be prepared to attack him...if he was planning to at all.  
>But regardless, Izaya kept his guard up and stayed behind the only obstacle between them... His desk.<p>

"So, you've finally come to the conclusion that you're in love with me," Izaya sighed as he spun around in his chair, his back facing the man before his desk as he spoke his next words quietly. "It took you a while…"

"I know that, flea." The other growled lowly as he looked away with an irritated expression on his face.

"For someone who is in love with me, you certainly don't act like it." The brunet stood and stared out the window, watching the city lights in the distance.

"Oh, is there a way I'm supposed to act?" Another growl.

Izaya shook his head, keeping his face hidden to hide the pain he felt.

This wasn't Shizuo.  
>This wasn't <em>his<em> Shizuo.

"Shizu-chan, you seem upset about the fact." He concealed the sadness in his voice with fake bitterness.

"That's because _I am_."

A pause.

"Why is that? Love should be a positive thing, right?"

There was a sudden swift gust of wind as Izaya was pulled around to face the bodyguard, his body firmly pressed against the other by force. Izaya groaned at the pain on his shoulders as Shizuo's hands held onto him roughly.

So much for not worrying about being attacked.

Shizuo leaned down to Izaya's ear, speaking in a loud whisper which made the informant tremble in slight fear. "You've called me a monster…a _beast_. But you're forgetting that I am a human. Either that or…you just won't admit it."

That wasn't entirely true. Izaya did consider Shizuo as a human now, but he was still different, in a good way. Shizuo had been _his_ beast, and even so, he had refrained from calling him such since they had been together.

"You refuse to love me because you don't consider me a human being. But I'm here to make you understand that I am one. We both know that everyone else _hates_ you, Izaya."

Izaya swore that his heart stopped.

That wasn't true. He did love Shizuo. He just hadn't confessed yet. Even so, Izaya and Shizuo had been practically inseparable since they resolved their fighting. With that thought, why did it seem as if Shizuo forgot all of it?

As for everyone else hating him, Izaya didn't doubt that he was hated by a good number of people. But saying that _everyone_ hated him was a bit of an exaggeration. Just slightly…

"Except for me."

"...Wh-what?" There was hot breath lingering near his ear as the brunet tried to pull himself together.

"You say that you want your precious humans to love you?"

At this very moment, Izaya could admit that for the very first time, he was truly frightened of Shizuo.

"Well then, I'll do it. Since no one else will…I'll love you." The darkness in Shizuo's voice wasn't very reassuring as Izaya tried his best to mask his fear.

Before he knew it, he was suddenly on the couch, hands forcefully wandering his upper body as bruising marks were left on his neck.

"Shizuo what are you-!" He was cut off as Shizuo bit between his neck and shoulder, causing him to let out a soft yell, followed by a whimper.

Not soon after, he found himself being lifted above the other's shoulder, being carried away. Izaya looked around and was horrified to learn that they were headed up the stairs, towards his bedroom.

When they arrived, the door was shut promptly and the informant was lowered onto the bed, the bodyguard directly above him.

There was no escaping this now.

Shizuo continued where he had left off not moments ago and left bites and bruises on Izaya's neck and bare shoulders. Izaya wasn't even aware of when his shirt had been taken off or where it was, but that wasn't the concern right now. All he knew was that he didn't want this to go where he was thinking it would.

This wasn't how he had wanted it to go.

Throughout all of this, Izaya felt the need to wonder why Shizuo hadn't properly kissed him. If he truly loved him like he so _violently_ claimed, wouldn't that have been the first thing to do?

However, he did know the real reason. Shizuo didn't really feel love for him right now. If anything, he felt some sort of a…possessiveness, it seemed. A possessiveness to the point that it was an obsession...a dangerous obsession.

But then, why was he trying to force himself onto Izaya? You certainly don't do this sort of thing with a person that you hate…

So that could only mean…

Izaya knew that Shizuo had started acting differently after that night he had been attacked by the Slasher. He had seen the cut. It was almost perfectly above the cut that Izaya had made the first time he met Shizuo, but not as long.

It was…right over his heart.

Instead of what the Slasher would typically do to a person, taking over their mind and body with the sole goal of seeking out others to slash, or 'love', as it claimed, was it possible that it did something to alter Shizuo's perception instead? Or even worse… his feelings?  
>Maybe Shizuo's willpower was much stronger than other human beings as well, so while he wasn't capable of actually being <em>possessed<em> by the blade, his heart and mind could become distorted, and he was led to harm those he actually cared for.

It almost seemed as if Shizuo had forgotten how to love…almost as if he confused love and hatred.

How _ironic_.

Izaya was entirely unclothed at this point, his still fully-dressed attacker above him, touching him in places that the brunet really wouldn't have minded if it weren't under the current circumstances of what Shizuo had become.

"Shizuo…" Izaya breathed as he felt a hand roughly stroking him.

There was no response as the man above him continued, making it more difficult for Izaya to concentrate.

"Sh-Shizuo…please be-aaAH!-…Please t-tell me... H-how do you really f-feel-HA!…a-about me…" Dull caramel eyes burned into his own bright scarlet, making him almost regret asking.

"I already told you." He continued with more pressure, making Izaya hold back a soft cry.

"T-that doesn't an-aah…answer my q-question!" Moments later, his mind went blank as he reached his release.

The hand stopped its ministrations, and Izaya hesitated before meeting eyes with his captor yet again.

Breathing heavily, he willed himself to ask the question more clearly, "You say that you do…but… Do you really love me, Shizuo?"

He shakily brought a hand up, the fingers tracing the newer scar on Shizuo's chest.

"Is what you feel inside…your heart…is it really love? Or do you feel the need to…to…hurt me?" He started to shake even more, trying to hold back tears.  
>It didn't take much to make Izaya break down and feel so vulnerable nowadays, especially with all that he had been put through the past few months.<p>

"I know that this isn't you. You aren't…yourself." He felt his eyes begin to shut as tiredness consumed him. "But even so…I'm not afraid of you… So please…"

Above him, almost lifeless eyes stared down, absorbing every word.

"Please bring the Shizu-chan that I love back to me."

Izaya's eyes closed, and he felt himself slip into sleep from weeks of pent-up exhaustion.

"…I still…love you…Shizuo…"

* * *

><p>At first, what Izaya said didn't mean anything at all to Shizuo. He simply scoffed, then watched the sleeping informant, wordlessly, his mind practically blank…<p>

Then suddenly, Shizuo found himself feeling surprised by the other's words. Almost as soon as those words sunk in, he felt an overwhelming jolt of happiness. His chest felt strange, his heart having been stone cold for the past few days. But now, it was as if a warm feeling were radiating through him, melting away the ice and releasing him from it's binds.

He was free.

…But then, the memories began to sweep in.

Looking down at his hands, he saw the result of what he had done not moments ago, the stickiness making him cringe with a sudden and alarming sense of guilt. Regrettably leaving Izaya's side and getting off of the bed, he walked to the bathroom, then cleaned his hands and shut off the sink, staring into the mirror at his own reflection. He remembered everything; after all, he had done everything. But it was as if he wasn't himself. He was still himself, but he couldn't understand why he had done it. The way he felt at those moments of his unwilling actions were not true to his real feelings.

When he had approached Izaya in his office and admitted his 'love', he had felt nothing but a strong sense of passion, almost to a dangerous breaking point. When he attacked Izaya and did…this…to him, he had also felt a strong desire of possession.

Something inside of his mind kept on repeating '_If you can't have him for yourself, then **no one** can have him._'

He knew that he wanted Izaya so much, but was under the illusion that Izaya didn't return those feelings…even though the obvious reality was that…Izaya did feel the same way. But because Shizuo was somehow placed under his disillusion, he couldn't see the truth.  
>Ultimately, with that, Shizuo was convinced that if he couldn't have Izaya, then he'd have to <em>kill<em> him.

Now that he was back to his senses, he knew that he didn't hate Izaya at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite. But with how everything had happened, he may as well have been showing hatred.

So…if that was the case, then why did he act the way that he did?

Shizuo left the bathroom with a warm washcloth, gently cleaning Izaya up before going back and placing the washcloth in the sink. As he went back out, he found Izaya's clothing lying in separate places on the floor. He picked them up, going over to the bed and carefully redressing the unconscious brunet.

"Izaya…" Once he was done, he hesitantly laid down beside the smaller male, pulling him close to his chest. Shizuo cherished Izaya so much more than he could ever know. But it killed him inside, knowing what he had done. The only concern he had now was if Izaya would ever forgive him once they woke.

"…If only I had told you sooner… I knew I cared about you for a long time, but I was an idiot and held back saying anything. And then…this happened… " He spoke out loud, well aware that Izaya was passed out, and wasn't likely to wake up. But he felt better letting it out, keeping Izaya's smaller body against his to keep him warm.

"The truth is…I love you, too… _Dammit_ Izaya…I love you _so much_…and yet I… did this to you…" Shizuo kissed the other's forehead gently, before pulling the warm covers over the both of them. "Please...forgive me for what I did to you, Izaya." He brought up a hand to softly stroke the other's neck, where there were visible markings consisting of large bruises and bite marks. He shuddered when he saw more of what he had done.

Here, in this very moment, Shizuo had never felt more like a monster.

* * *

><p><strong>...Alas, here we are again.<strong>

**So, this is probably going to be one of the last chapters.**

**(FINALLY, this story is coming to an end after it's 2-3 year existence... x.x Hahahah...)**

**I'm sorry for the angst, I don't know if it's that much, though. I just can't bring myself to put them through very much of that...even though I still want to...  
>(...I'm awful.)<br>Anyways.**

**Thank you so much for staying with me through all of this! As always, reviews are loved~**

**-Milarius**


	20. Chapter 20

_**Durarara! belongs to Ryohgo Narita.**_

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><p><strong>...Content within this chapter is rated M.<strong>

* * *

><p>A pair of eyes began to open for the first time in hours, vision blurry as they adjusted to the morning light flowing into the room.<p>

Izaya blinked, letting out a small yawn and shuffling more under the covers. His eyes drooped, and he was about to fall back asleep for a little while longer...

...But then...

He remembered.

_'...I'm...not dead?'_

Eyes wide in growing confusion, and some panic, his first action was lifting the covers to find-

...He was clothed?

_'...But, Shizuo, last night he-"_

There was the sound of soft breathing to interrupt his thoughts. Izaya froze, and it was then that he realized... There was an arm draped around him. He slowly turned his head, finding that Shizuo was there beside him, sleeping soundly with a peaceful look on his face.

Izaya didn't know what to make of this scene.

Shizuo had almost taken him by force...or had he?

...But wait...  
>Izaya had passed out before anything else could have happened. If anything had been forced, shouldn't he be feeling the after affects right now?<p>

...and overall, why was Shizuo still here...and Izaya alive? Hadn't his intentions been to kill Izaya once he was done with him?

...But...he didn't.

He hadn't forced himself on Izaya, and Izaya was quite obviously aware that he was still alive.

_'...Is it possible that...he didn't do anything after that...then he redressed me...and he stayed?'_

Izaya was confused, and he hated feeling that way. He wanted to believe that, perhaps, it had all been one huge nightmare. Maybe Shizuo never was cut by that rogue blade, and never tried to kill Izaya. Maybe last night was all a bad dream, and Shizuo had been by his side the whole time while he went through those dreams.

Yet...as much as he might try to deny it, Izaya knew that it did happen.  
>It had all happened, and still...<p>

Shizuo was here with him, sleeping beside him, just as if none of this had occurred...

"...Shizuo..." He whispered, carefully turning to face the sight of the sleeping blond. "...Are you...back? Are you really back?"

He wanted to believe that. He really did...

But...

Memories of what had happened _last time_ swept through his mind.

The last time that Izaya had let his guard down, and Shizuo seemed to be seeking his comfort...only for his demeanor to suddenly switch, Izaya just barely avoiding a fatal blow.

* * *

><p><em>"...Izaya..." His name was whispered, golden eyes also going wide as Izaya was certain a small light flickered within them. "...I-Izaya..." Shizuo repeated, a bit louder this time, his hands slowly releasing his victim as the blond slumped forward, his head resting upon Izaya's shoulder almost hesitantly.-<em>

_Izaya bit his lower lip, and slowly, he gently cupped each side of Shizuo's face with his hands, gazing at him with sad eyes. "Shizuo..." He spoke, able to see that his Shizuo was still there...at least...for the time being. "You're still here...aren't you?" His only response was a quick nod of the head, Shizuo letting out a loud and shuddered breath. "...I-Izaya..." He whispered once more, pressing his face against the warmth of Izaya's skin. Izaya tensed up, letting his hands drop to his sides as Shizuo attempted to get even closer. He didn't want to deny Shizuo this closeness...but...he didn't know how long this Shizuo was going to remain in control. After all, who was to say that this wasn't only temporary?_

_Izaya let out a deep sigh, hesitantly giving in, not able to hold back running his fingers through the gold hair..._

_...But then, he felt Shizuo flinch._

_There was a low growl, before Izaya realized his mistake. He could feel the atmosphere quickly changing._

* * *

><p>Izaya watched the serene face of the one person he cared about most...but felt that dreadful sense of doubt overtake him.<p>

Something then crossed his mind, and it was an idea that he felt he had no choice but to go through with.

Izaya didn't like what he was going to do, but feeling that his life was still in jeopardy if he stayed here any longer...he chose to run.

* * *

><p>There was a quiet groan as the blond finally woke up. He had been having a <em>very<em> wonderful dream, about him and Izaya cuddling and enjoying an evening together covered up in blankets, away in a small yet comfortable place all their own.

But in reality, that was not the case.

His hand sought out the smaller body he had been holding while he slept, finding only cold and empty sheets.

"...Mn...Izaya?"

He yawned, feeling around some more and still finding nothing.

It was when he opened his eyes that he saw that he was alone in that bed.

He sat up quickly, looking around the room for any traces of the other male. The bathroom door was wide open and the light was off, so he wasn't in there, either.

Shizuo made his way downstairs, and was welcomed by nothing but silence.

No one was in the kitchen, no one was on the couch, and no one was sitting at the desk.

_'...He's not here.'_

* * *

><p>Shizuo ran out of the apartment, his only guess that Izaya had left to get away from him. He understood why, and he didn't blame him for that decision.<p>

But Shizuo needed to find him.

He needed to see him.

He needed to let him know that everything was alright now.

Except...where would Izaya go if he wanted to hide?

He thought of searching the few places that the raven frequented, though, it occurred to Shizuo that someone as intelligent as Izaya would know to stay away from such places if he were being tracked down.

"Dammit..." He muttered, having checked the only places he could think to look. The abandoned building that they had been in last, where he had tried to kill Izaya against his own will... He had thought Izaya might go there, for some reason. Yet...when he got there, he found nothing.

Nothing but bad memories to make him feel even more like a monster.

* * *

><p><em>"...Caught you."<em>

_Shizuo grinned maliciously, dropping the smaller man carelessly before hoisting him up again by the shoulders, only to slam him roughly against the wall once more. Izaya winced in slight pain, afraid to meet eyes with the other male as he kept his head lowered._

_"I could smell your stench from miles away. You can't hide from me, bastard."_

_Izaya's eyes widened as he heard it...the obvious hatred in the other's voice. Shizuo had never spoken to him in such a way in months...and now...here it was again. Only this time, everything seemed much worse than it ever had been._

_Slowly, Izaya lifted his head, briefly meeting gazes with the blond and seeing it confirmed for himself. In those golden brown eyes...there wasn't any light. They were dull...lifeless. In those eyes, Izaya saw pure intent to harm-to kill. Even before everything had changed for the better between the two of them, never had Izaya seen such a look in Shizuo's eyes. Maybe it was because Shizuo had never wanted to actually kill him in the first place..._

_He struggled in Shizuo's grip, knowing it was of little use countering such superhuman strength. Shizuo noticed this, his dark grin widening as he held on even tighter. Izaya let out a sharp gasp, knowing for certain that bruises would very likely be left behind. He could feel tears threatening to drop from his eyes as the pain got worse and worse... He trembled and groaned as he felt certain that Shizuo wasn't going to stop until his bones snapped, leaving his shoulder blades broken..._

* * *

><p>Shizuo left the abandoned structure, continuing to search for the person he wanted to see the most. It hurt, knowing that Izaya was actually <em>afraid<em> of him. This was something that Shizuo never thought would happen...because Izaya had always been the only person who wasn't afraid...to the point that he got close to him in a way Shizuo wouldn't let anyone else come.

It had been hours of searching, before a defeated Shizuo entered his own apartment, closing the door and slipping off his shoes. There was no success in his endeavor.

He was so distraught over having lost Izaya, of not being able to find him.

It was funny...and almost ironic. He use to be so good at that one task without even trying.

_'...Where could he have gone? I know he went to Ikebukuro so he'd have a head start from Shinjuku...he had to know I'd go looking for him.'_ Shizuo brushed fingers through his hair. _'I just hope he's alright... He must be scared...'_

Shizuo stared at the carpet sadly, undoing his bow tie as well as his vest. It was already late in the afternoon, his apartment dark due to the curtains blocking light from the windows.

He was exhausted after having tried to locate a certain someone all day, and still not having any luck. All that mattered to him anymore was knowing that Izaya was in a safe place, and that he wouldn't do anything stupid. Shizuo was quite worried about the possibilities that could befall the informant, knowing very well his condition that had build up over the past few months. All of the fear put in place from that stalker, to worrying about his own life being in danger...all had put a strain on him mentally, and even physically. He didn't get any sleep, unless Shizuo was beside him. He wouldn't eat properly, unless Shizuo was there and cooked with him.

Shizuo had been Izaya's _lifeline_ this whole time...

...but now, he feared his only source of protection that was left.

There was no one left for him to turn to, no one left to depend on that Izaya could trust enough. He didn't know that Shizuo was back to normal, so what if he went as far as ending his own life?

...No.

Shizuo didn't dare to even think about that happening.

Izaya was still strong...he had to be holding on to that last shred of hope... He wasn't going to just believe that there was no other way...

...Right?

"...Shizu-chan."

...That _voice_.

"...I-Izaya?" Shizuo stumbled back against the wall.

"Shizu-chan." The brunet called again, Shizuo's sight settling upon a dark figure in the center of the room on the couch. Shizuo flicked on the light switch, illuminating Izaya...his beautiful Izaya.

At long last, he had found him.

_'...He was...here? But...why is he here? This should be the last place he'd go if he were so afraid of me-'_

"I've come to realize that there's no escaping you."

Izaya interrupted the blond's thoughts. He looked like he was holding back from breaking down into tears. He had bit his lower lip, which was quivering, his arms wrapped around himself as he turned his body away on the couch.

"So, do it. Do what you started last night...then...whatever else you wanted."

Shizuo's eyes went wide. "...H-huh?" What the hell was Izaya saying?!

He remembered very well what had happened the previous night, including how his possessed mind had been wanting him to kill the younger male.

But he had snapped out of it...

...Though, Izaya didn't know that.

So with that knowledge, was Izaya implying that he...was okay with Shizuo ending his life?

This was crazy! Shizuo couldn't let Izaya go on thinking that way.

"...I can't." Was his simple answer.

Scarlet eyes were wide, glistening as he suddenly shouted in an array of confusion and still...more fear. "W-why not?! Just do it! Do it then...end it. That's what you want, isn't it?"

"...I won't."

"...Shizuo... Th-then-" His own arms tightened around him, Izaya looking ridiculously unlike himself. Shizuo had never once seen him look so weak...so vulnerable... "...Stay away from me..."

"...But you just said-..." Shizuo couldn't finish, sighing heavily instead.

He didn't understand what was going through Izaya's head at this point. It was looking like Izaya either wanted Shizuo to continue from before...have his way with him then kill him...or leave him alone.

Yet...assuming that Shizuo was still under the control of the blade, then Izaya had to know that getting out of there alive would be difficult with the only two options he had presented...granted, one of those options was inevitably death.

But, who was to say a possessed Shizuo would listen to him, anyway? And why would Izaya suddenly be okay with the thought of being killed? Had he really become so emotionally unstable that he wanted it to all just...end?

"Izaya... I'm not going to do that." Shizuo took a step closer.

Izaya stared back with even wider eyes, that look of complete fear taking over his features.

The one person who never feared him...now was very afraid.

That sight alone practically broke Shizuo's heart.

He finally reached the raven, carefully sitting beside him, still keeping a considerable distance away. The last thing he wanted was to frighten him further.

"I won't do it, because, I don't want to. I don't want to hurt you...or even kill you..." He gave the other a sad smile. "You told me before...that if you ever tried to push me away, that I shouldn't believe you. I shouldn't believe that you really want that, no matter what." Shizuo slowly reached his hand out, knowing now that it was all up to Izaya what would be happening next.

Pale lips trembled in response, Izaya's body stiffening as Shizuo's hand came closer...  
>But then, as he replayed those words in his head, Shizuo repeating that promise that they had made before...he realized. Izaya seemed to somewhat visibly relax, as if he just connected something in his head.<p>

"...You...you still remember...what I said that day?" Hesitantly, Izaya lifted his hand and allowed their fingers to touch, Shizuo quickly taking that opportunity to intertwine them. He didn't blame the brunet for flinching slightly at that action, but he stayed still, nonetheless.

"Izaya...it's me." Shizuo smiled softly, using his other hand to gently tilt his chin up, gazes aligned. "I'm alright... It's gone, and I'm here to stay." He was no longer under the rogue blade's control. Neither of them had to say anything to know what he was talking about.

However, Izaya was still skeptical. "...But...how do I know for sure-"

He shut his mouth as Shizuo began to lift the fabric of his white shirt, exposing his bare chest. There, Izaya saw a visible scar...

Yet...that was it.

There was only _one_ scar...and it was one that Izaya knew very well.

The scar he had left all those years ago.

Relief flooded through him as he finally realized that he was able to trust that this Shizuo...was _his_ Shizuo. He took his time, pressing his fingers to the scar, just barely tracing it.

"...Shizu-chan..." He whispered, his vision growing blurry as he couldn't hold back the sudden sting of tears, threatening to spill. "...Shizuo..." Not seconds later, he had his face against Shizuo's neck, shuddering with each breath that he took. "...It's you... It's really...you..."

Shizuo immediately took the smaller male into his arms...something he had been wanting to do for so long since all hell had broke loose. This time, it was even better, because Izaya was conscious. Sure, he had held him last night, but... Knowing that they could both enjoy it while awake made him happy. "...Yeah, it's me." He kissed Izaya's forehead with a warm smile, tightening the embrace. "I'm never going to let something like that even try to come between us ever again."

"Sh-Shizuo..." Izaya sighed, body still trembling as he returned the embrace. "...I thought I had lost you... I thought that I'd never get a chance to tell you..." He let out a shuddered breath. "...To tell you that...I love you..." He spoke the words they had both been waiting to hear for so long. Shizuo had heard them the night before, but, now that he was back to normal and could receive them clearly, a wonderful warmth spread through his chest.

He knew what his answer was, without a doubt.

"Izaya... I love you too... So much..." He nuzzled his cheek against the soft black hair. The smaller male felt his heartbeat pick up at those words, as this was the very first time he had heard them while awake. "Heh... You're actually the reason that I'm alright..." Izaya lifted his head and stared up in question, but there was nothing but a smile on his face. "When you told me those words last night... I remembered everything, who I am...and I realized what I had done," His eyes shown with sadness, remembering what could have happened if he hadn't been stopped. "But because of you, I was able to come to my senses... It's all because of you... You saved me, Izaya."

"...Because of...me..." Izaya stroked the side of Shizuo's face, smiling up at him lovingly. "To think... I had decided that I just couldn't live anymore, if you weren't with me..." This also turned his smile into one of sorrow, but he kept on going. "I came here today, to accept whatever you might do. If you were to take my life, then so be it. I just couldn't bare going through life again with you...hating me like that...and wanting nothing more than to hurt me..." The tears were coming back, though he just couldn't help it. "So I-...I-..."

Shizuo held him again, his arms wrapping securely around the smaller waist and keeping Izaya close. "...I couldn't dream of ever going through with that in my current state of mind." He rubbed the smooth back of the brunet, gently. "But, if I somehow had...ended up taking your life, I'm sure that I would have snapped out of it right after and...I'd follow you. I'd follow you into the next life, or whatever's waiting after death." His tone was serious, his eyes narrowed. "I couldn't live without you, either. You're my-...well, like-..." He tried to put it into words. "...My day's not complete without seeing you...hearing your voice...and knowing that you're okay. Izaya, you're a part of my life...you always have been, so, if anything were ever to happen to you, living would be pointless." Shizuo let out a soft sigh. "...In other words... You're...my other half..." He admitted quietly, eyes flicking to the side.

Izaya's eyes were wide at this point, everything that Shizuo was saying filling him up with even more happiness... He kept on falling in love with this man every growing moment.

So much more to the point that he placed a finger over the other man's lips, smiling up at him and letting him know that he didn't need to say anymore.

Izaya understood.

"...I feel the same." He whispered, leaning in to press a soft kiss to those lips that he had been yearning for...for what had almost seemed like forever. Shizuo's body tensed in surprise, but not a moment later did he realize what was happening, and his arms were around Izaya as he returned it with just as much gentleness. He had been desperately missing Izaya's kisses, just as Izaya had missed his.

Once he pulled away, his smile remained, and he decided to change their conversation to a more cheerful subject.

"...Shizuo...do you want me to-..." Izaya's gaze went to the side, shyly smiling. "I mean, could I...stay over tonight?"

A warm smile was on Shizuo's face as he wrapped his arms around the raven. "...Of course you can..."

* * *

><p>Hours later, two bodies were tangled up together, hands roaming wherever they could, breathes mingling and occasionally lingering against warm skin. The creaking of the bed gave away its current occupant's intentions, as well as the occasional lustful sounds escaping either individual's mouth.<p>

Finally...

_Finally_...

That was all either of them could think as they indulged in the moment that was all their own, this temporary lapse in time that they had created just for each other. After all of the uncertainty, all of the distractions and barriers, they could finally be together in the deepest way possible.

"...I love you, Izaya…" Shizuo whispered, softly kissing the brunet's forehead, before he slowly pushed in to the smaller male.

"Ahh! Haaah…" Izaya shivered at the feeling of the blond inside, his hold tightening around the other's neck and shoulders.

Shizuo's breath hitched as he was surrounded by the overwhelming heat. He was tempted to go further, but he stopped himself when he felt Izaya tense up.

After all, his first priority was his lover.

"I-Izaya, try and relax…"

The other man nodded and willed himself to comply. Shizuo let out a small groan as he pushed deeper.

"Just…l-let me know if you want me to stop…" Shizuo put a hand to the side of Izaya's face to stroke it gently, before he slowly started to move his hips.

Izaya gasped as he felt Shizuo all the way inside of him, then tried to hold back moans as Shizuo began to thrust.  
>The pain had gradually subsided...<p>

Now, it was feeling good.

The blond quickly noticed this on Izaya's face, wanting to encourage him not to hold back.

"Let it out, I-Izaya... It's o-okay."

There was a quick nod as soft moans spilled from Izaya's mouth, his eyes lidded as he watched Shizuo hovering over him. "Shi-Shizu-…haah…"

Taking that as a form of encouragement, Shizuo increased his pace, also going deeper with every thrust. His golden eyes bore into scarlet, before they slid shut, allowing his lips to touch Izaya's with a gentle brush, then kissing him fully. It was quickly and eagerly reciprocated.

Both of them wanted this moment to last for as long as it could, but they also felt the natural desire to reach their peak, quickly. This was something that they had desperately been needing, and all of the pent-up desire, all of their years of chasing after one another, had come to a point that release was needed...and it was needed soon. Now that they were actually living it, and experiencing it, their hearts were certain that they wanted to remain like that forever, entangled and holding each other close, feeling their warmth and heartbeats in synch.

But their bodies were begging for them to not waste any more time...wanting that desperate release that had been long overdue. Though, even then, they knew that they were bound to continue on for the rest of the night as much as they wished...wanting more...needing more...

...Yet...somehow, patience won.

They were able to delay that release, their most prominent focus on their current connection. They went slow, at a moderate pace, comfortable and loving. They knew that they had no reason to rush anything, especially considering how much they had wanted this to happen. To them, now that this was happening, they wanted to live within their moment for every minute it was worth.

Izaya shivered, clinging tightly as Shizuo began to pull out. He whimpered in confusion...neither of them had reached their climax just yet...

Shizuo guided the smaller body so that he was more propped up on the pillows, then he wrapped his arms around him, staring into his eyes for a long moment. Izaya's gaze was lidded as he let out a breath, not at all questioning a reason why they stopped, although he was still curious.

Shizuo smiled when he saw that look on the other's face, leaning in to press a kiss to both of his cheeks, then his forehead, his nose, his jaw... Izaya closed his eyes and smiled back, deciding not to wonder and simply enjoying the sweet affection. Kisses trailed down his neck, then Shizuo gently nuzzled his nose against the soft skin with a low hum. As he held Izaya even closer, he gradually kissed his way back up to his face, his jaw once more, then... With one last long gaze, Shizuo slowly leaned in and kissed Izaya's lips.

His hands felt the smooth skin of his lover's stomach, tracing over the curves of his hipbones and drawing imaginary circles on them. Izaya shuddered, his lips parting in a soft hum of enjoyment. Shizuo took advantage of that, slipping his warm muscle inside and playing a little game with Izaya's tongue.

He kept the lip lock going as he laid Izaya back down onto the bed, positioning his legs on either side and silently letting him know that he was going to reenter him. With Izaya ready for him, Shizuo carefully pushed back in, earning a shuddered gasp.

Now, there was no holding back. Shizuo moved his hips at a leisurely pace, but the warm tingling in his lower body was getting stronger and caused his thrusts to become more desperate. Keeping a mental hold on his strength, he held Izaya even closer, licking and nibbling at his neck as he felt himself just about to release. He couldn't even think of pulling out, as Izaya had locked his legs in place around his waist, keeping him there without a choice. But he gladly took that given opportunity as not a moment later, he reached his peak...and it felt even more amazing than he had ever imagined. With a soft gasp, he shivered, feeling the velvet walls tighten as his lover followed right after him, his essence spilling between their bodies as he experienced a strong release, which momentarily took over all of his senses.

Shizuo spent their shared afterglow just spoiling his lover with more kisses, keeping him pressed against him as he left butterfly kisses all over his face, neck and shoulders. He slowly pulled out with another shudder, then continued on with what he had been doing. Izaya stared up at the blond with a soft gaze, a gentle smile on his face as he brought his hand up to stroke the side of Shizuo's face.

But he also looked tired, and Shizuo remembered all of the things they had gone through the past few months...especially Izaya. He sighed with a loving gaze, taking Izaya into his arms as he lifted him up, carrying him to the bathroom. Shizuo was certain that they'd both appreciate getting cleaned up before they considered rest. But if Izaya were to happen to fall asleep before then, Shizuo didn't mind at all.

He began a shower, figuring that would be the fastest way to go. Izaya kept his arms around Shizuo the whole time, his body exhausted from a combination of sleep deprivation, as well as their recent activities. Shizuo felt slightly guilty that they had done more to contribute to his tiredness, but...it had all just...happened. One thing led to another, and they really weren't able to hold back all of the time they had waited to finally have each other.

The warm water rained down on them, Shizuo taking care to clean them up well, mostly the raven, who looked like he was about ready to drift off if they remained in place any longer. With a tired smile of his own, and deeming the shower finished, Shizuo shut off the water, then carefully carried Izaya out. He found a large, fluffy towel, which he used to dry off Izaya first. He kept one arm securely about the smaller male as he dried himself off, though quite the task, he managed to succeed. Once that was all done, he lifted Izaya up once more, taking him to the bed and lying him down. He momentarily left his side to find some suitable clothing, long black shorts and a grey hoodie for Izaya, and a white shirt and blue pants for himself. He quickly dressed himself first, then, he went on dressing the practically unconscious male. Izaya made a few groaning sounds, not at all interested in being moved around so much as he drifted in and out of his rest. But it didn't take long, and Shizuo had him comfortably clothed in under a minute.

_'...Hmm...It seems like I'm always dressing him nowadays...'_

Shizuo chuckled quietly to himself, though he frowned when he remembered what exactly he was laughing about implied... Yet now, it was no longer under the same circumstances...and when he reassured himself of that, he was able to smile again.

_'...That's right... Everything's alright now. All I want for us now, is to try and forget what happened and move forward. I want to help him forget...and feel safe again.'_

With a soft hum, Shizuo got into the bed beside Izaya, pulling the covers over them. Then, right as he was about to wrap his arms around the other male, Izaya had snuggled against his body, his arm around Shizuo's waist. Smiling gently, Shizuo proceeded to move his arms around him, kissing his cheek for a long moment, then pulled away as he settled his chin on top of the dark hair.

Now longer did they have any worries...no longer did either have to fear for their safety.

Finally, they could catch up on some much-needed sleep.

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>It has finally come an end.<strong>_

_**This story is now complete.**_

**Thank you so much for everyone who read and stayed with me! **

**I know that I'm not one of those authors who personally responds to reviews, I would love to very much if I could. But I wanted to let everyone know that they did encourage me to go on, and I'm truly grateful for such wonderful comments.  
>(Cake for all!~ 且_(ﾟ◇ﾟ；)ノﾞ)<br>**

**I'm very happy to have contributed to the wonderful world of ShizuIza with this story. After 2 years (...or 3 years? (-ω-)ゞ゛ ), it's done. **

**...Now, to move on to other ShizuIza stories! **

** *･゜ﾟ･*\(^O^)/*･゜ﾟ･* **

**Stay tuned for a new one I've been working on, featuring some lovely alternates this time~**

**(More cake for those who guess who!~)**

**~(=^‥^)_旦~**

**-Milarius**


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